Spring Break
The Daily OrangeToday's students pick community service over politics
By Candace Tracy
Posted: 11/13/07, 12:24 AM EST Section: News
The '60s had its hippies, the '70s had its protestors and the '80s touted the yuppie generation.
And a recent study indicates that "Millennials" - the current generation of students -are, in fact, more civic-minded and community oriented than their predecessors.
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) recently published a report, "Millennials Talk Politics," which examines college students' opinions on politics and civic activism. It is a follow-up to its 1993 survey on Generation X.
Millennials are concerned with local issues and "feel responsible" to do their part by volunteering, the study said. A stark contrast to the "individualistic," self-involved outlook of Gen X, today's students are more willing to put their interests second to serve their communities.
CIRCLE researchers attribute this radical change in attitude to the fluctuating political atmosphere of the past decade - controversial national elections, an increase in international terrorism and dissonant ideologies.
Despite increased civic involvement on a local level, students remain disenchanted with politics; students surveyed said voting was a mere "symbolic gesture" rather than an actual agent for change.
The majority of students who participated also regarded politics as untrustworthy, a means for the "powerful to keep power for themselves," according to the report.
However, students' reservations with politics are not due to a lack of information, researchers said, but instead "an overload of news and opinion," deemed tainted by partisan influence.
"Students feel vulnerable to spin and are turned off by political polarization," said Abby Kiesa, CIRCLE youth coordinator. "Some are intimidated by political discussion because they think they don't know enough or don't think their voice will be heard."
"I'm definitely interested in politics, and I have strong beliefs," said freshman Lauren Josephson. "The thing is, I'm not sure that I know enough to defend or explain why I believe what I believe."
And a recent study indicates that "Millennials" - the current generation of students -are, in fact, more civic-minded and community oriented than their predecessors.
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) recently published a report, "Millennials Talk Politics," which examines college students' opinions on politics and civic activism. It is a follow-up to its 1993 survey on Generation X.
Millennials are concerned with local issues and "feel responsible" to do their part by volunteering, the study said. A stark contrast to the "individualistic," self-involved outlook of Gen X, today's students are more willing to put their interests second to serve their communities.
CIRCLE researchers attribute this radical change in attitude to the fluctuating political atmosphere of the past decade - controversial national elections, an increase in international terrorism and dissonant ideologies.
Despite increased civic involvement on a local level, students remain disenchanted with politics; students surveyed said voting was a mere "symbolic gesture" rather than an actual agent for change.
The majority of students who participated also regarded politics as untrustworthy, a means for the "powerful to keep power for themselves," according to the report.
However, students' reservations with politics are not due to a lack of information, researchers said, but instead "an overload of news and opinion," deemed tainted by partisan influence.
"Students feel vulnerable to spin and are turned off by political polarization," said Abby Kiesa, CIRCLE youth coordinator. "Some are intimidated by political discussion because they think they don't know enough or don't think their voice will be heard."
"I'm definitely interested in politics, and I have strong beliefs," said freshman Lauren Josephson. "The thing is, I'm not sure that I know enough to defend or explain why I believe what I believe."
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