In many countries, conventional forms of political participation have declined in recent years, with growing levels of political apathy, disengagement from formal democratic processes and increasing distrust of, and lack of confidence in, political institutions. At the same time, however, research suggests that a shift is currently taking place among younger generations, with civic participation coming to be prioritised over more traditional forms of political participation. As a result, issues that might have mobilised individuals into taking political action in the past are now being tackled instead by many young people either via voluntary, community or charitable activities, or via consumer activism. Thus, it is possible that while traditional forms of political participation such as voting are currently in decline in many European countries, this trend may not be indicative of public disengagement per se but of a shift to a qualitatively different kind of public activism.

Existing research has established that macro-level historical, political and institutional factors are related to citizens’ political and civic participation within any given country (e.g., type of electoral system, historical longevity of democracy within the country, etc.), as are demographic factors (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity, etc.) and social and psychological factors (e.g., social capital, levels of trust, neighbourhood attachment, political attentiveness, internal and external efficacy, etc.). However, at the present time, the processes through which these various factors inter-relate, and how macro-level and sociological factors interact and impact on the psychological factors are poorly understood.

This conference aims to take stock of the numerous factors which can impact on the different forms of citizen participation, will explore how political, sociological and psychological factors inter-relate, and will draw out implications for policies which have as their goal the enhancement of levels of political and civic participation.

The conference also aims to examine the factors and processes which impact on levels of participation among marginalised groups that are at risk of political disengagement due to age, gender, ethnicity or migration. For this reason, papers focusing on either young people, women, ethnic minorities or migrants are especially encouraged.

Hence, this conference seeks to provide an opportunity for interdisciplinary discussion and debate on:

• the different forms of political and civic participation which exist
• the factors and processes which enhance and/or hinder the different forms of participation
• forms and levels of participation within different national, ethnic and migrant groups
• forms and levels of political and civic participation among women
• forms and levels of political and civic participation by youth
  
• policy interventions which can be used to increase levels of political and civic participation within particular societal settings
  

Confirmed speakers:

• Professor Judith Torney-Purta, Professor of Human Development at the University of Maryland at College Park, USA
• Professor P.G. Klandermans, Professor in Applied Social Psychology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  

For more information about Call for Papers, online submission forms and registration, please visit: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/cronem/newsandevents/conferences/pidop_conference_2012.htm
 

Conference enquiries (Call for Papers, registration and other administrative matters):
Ms Mirela Dumic: m.dumic@surrey.ac.uk