The construction of politicism: Childhood experiences of politically organized youth in Türkiye

Abstract

This study examines the childhood experiences, motivations, and organizational practices of politically engaged youth in Türkiye. It argues that political involvement is shaped by collective memory and social constructs. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research began with in-depth interviews of eight politically active individuals from political organizations. In the descriptive phase, a survey was distributed to 774 participants via social media to assess the broader applicability of the qualitative findings. The study suggests that childhood experiences, gender, poverty, geography, and culture shape youth political involvement, revealing inequalities in participation. The contribution of a mixed-methods study in political participation lies in integrating qualitative and descriptive data to provide both deep insights into individual experiences and generalizable findings across a broader population.