A New Engagement?

In searching for answers as to why young people differ vastly from their parents and grandparents when it comes to turning out the vote, A New Engagement challenges the conventional wisdom that today's youth is plagued by a severe case of political apathy. In order to understand the current nature of citizen engagement, it is critical to separate political from civic engagement. Using the results from an original set of surveys and the authors' own primary research, they conclude that while older citizens participate by voting, young people engage by volunteering and being active in their communities.

Cliff Zukin, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers, Scott Keeter, Associate Director, Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Molly Andolina, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Depaul University, Krista Jenkins, Associate Professor of Political Science, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Michael X. Delli Carpini, Dean, Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania

""This book is an outstanding study of shifting patterns of civic engagement among successive generations of American citizens. A key finding: generational differences matter, and we should pay more attention to indications of declining political involvement among young adults."—William A. Galston, Saul Stern Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland"

Foreword/Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
1: Introduction
2: Coming of Age in a Post Boomer World
3: Engagement in Public Life
4: Through the Looking Glass
5: Generational Pathways to Participation
6: Where do Young People Stand Politically?
7: Civic Engagement, Political Engagement and Generational Change
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index