Political Learning among Youth: Exploring Patterns of Students' First Political Awakening

Abstract

This article focuses on students' first political learning and explores the research question, ‘What dynamic patterns of political learning can be explored among a sample of young, diverse Danish students' first political interests?’ The authors use theories of learning in their analytical approach to students' stories. A group of 10 young students who claimed a certain political interest and attended a social studies course in Danish upper secondary school were selected for interview. A ‘life story approach’ was used in the interviews and in the analytical approach. The findings show that, contrary to many ‘single-agent’ studies in the tradition of political socialisation, all of the students display a complex pattern of political influence. The influence from various agents like school, family, the media and peers is also rather complex. The students are not passive recipients of influence, but active constructors of their political life. Their emotions and social environment are highly important for their political orientation. It is recommended that further research focus on dynamic learning and arenas for political learning, rather than on ‘single-agent’ studies. Recommendations for teaching are made.