Generations, Political Participation and Social Change in Western Europe [Hardcover]

This new comparative analysis shows that there are reasons to be concerned about the future of democratic politics. Younger generations have become disengaged from the political process. The evidence presented in this comprehensive study shows that they are not just less likely than older generations to engage in institutional political activism such as voting and party membership - they are also less likely to engage in extra-institutional protest activism.

Generations, Political Participation and Social Change in Western Europe offers a rigorously researched empirical analysis of political participation trends across generations in Western Europe. It examines the way in which the political behaviour of younger generations leads to social change. Are younger generations completely disengaged from politics, or do they simply choose to participate in a different way to previous generations?

The book is of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners of political sociology, political participation and behaviour, European Politics, Comparative Politics and Sociology.

1. Introduction 2. Studying political participation 3. Generations and social change 4. The evolution of political participation in Western Europe 5. Generations and formal political participation in Western Europe 6. Generations and informal political participation in Western Europe 7. Explaining generational differences in political participation in Western Europe 8. The future of political participation in Western Europe

Maria Grassos masterful comparative analysis provides a fresh look on the study of political participation and, more broadly, on the functioning of democracy. Her book fits squarely with a long-standing research tradition in sociology and political science, namely the study of generations and political engagement. She shows that both conventional and unconventional forms of participation have declilSÒ