This book explores political expression of members of Generation Z old enough to vote in 2018 and 2020 on issues and movements including MeToo, Supreme Court nominations, March for Our Lives, immigration and family separation, and Black Lives Matter.
This book explores political expression of members of Generation Z old enough to vote in 2018 and 2020 on issues and movements including MeToo, Supreme Court nominations, March for Our Lives, immigration and family separation, and Black Lives Matter. Since generational dividing lines blur, we study 18 to 25-year-olds, capturing the oldest members of Generation Z along with the youngest Millennials. They share similarities both in their place in the life cycle and experiences of potentially defining events. Through examining some movements led by young adults and others led by older generations, as well as issues with varying salience, core theories are tested in multiple contexts, showing that when young adults protest or post about movements they align with, they become mobilized to participate in other ways, too, including contacting elected officials, which heightens the likelihood of their voices being heard in the halls of power.Perfect for students and courses in a variety of departments at all levels, the book is also aimed at readers curious about contemporary events and emerging political actors.
Praise for The Political Voices of Generation Z
"In this meticulously researched book, Rice and Moffett firmly challenge the view that young Americans are politically disengaged by charting how Generation Z has found its political voice amidst rapid technological change and the political upheaval of the Trump presidency. This book not only explores how young people participated in breakout movements such as March for Our Lives, Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo, but it also shows how this generation moves deftly between voicing opinions on social media and engaging with policy-makers, marking online political expression as a key conduit for political socialization and impactful engagement. Given Generation Z's surging participation and political realignment along age rather than ideological fault lines on long-term issues such as the climate crisis, this book is essential reading to understand the future of American politics."
--Filippo Trevisan, American University
"The Political Voices of Generation Z provides a much-needed examination of the issues that sparked youth political engagement resulting in the highest levels of political activism the U.S. has seen in decades. Rejecting the simplistic notion that youth political engagement was merely a reaction to the Trump presidency, the authors explore the relationship between online activity and offline civic engagement, providing a compelling narrative of the ways that key issues caused young people to find their own political voice. This book sheds new light on the headline issues shaping youth political engagement, providing new 2018 and 2020 data to better understand the factors that shape youth engagement. The authors combine a careful consideration of various theoretical perspectives with empirical analysis to help readers understand the dynamics of young adult political behavior - a phenomenon that will shape our collective future for many years to come."
--Elizabeth A. Bennion, Indiana University--South Bend?