Education and political engagement

Kien Le and My Nguyen

International Journal of Educational Development, 2021, vol. 85, issue C

Abstract: While the robust and positive relationship between education and political engagement has been widely documented, the direct causal link is still a subject of debate. This study contributes to the ongoing debate by presenting suggestive evidence for the ‘cause’ view on the causal effect of education on political engagement. Exploiting the plausibly exogenous variation in education induced by the compulsory schooling reforms across 39 countries, we find that education cultivates political interest, promotes the acquisition of political knowledge, and fosters supportive attitudes towards political freedoms. Nevertheless, the better educated are no more likely to vote in elections nor adopt any specific position in the left–right political spectrum.

Keywords: Political engagement; Education; Compulsory schooling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H40 H80 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Working Paper: Education and Political Engagement (2019)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:injoed:v:85:y:2021:i:c:s0738059321000948

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102441

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