Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2003

Abstract

Theorists contend that private social groups-particularly those that have no overt political missions such as bowling leagues, sports clubs, and choral societies-make major contributions to democracy by generating engagement with democracy in the form of political interest and participation. Although this discussion is generally at an aggregate level, it is based on seldom-tested assumptions about individual-level phenomena. This study expands our understanding of how (and where) memberships in various groups are associated with political engagement of individual citizens. We test if the effects of group membership vary across eleven European democracies and test which types of groups have the strongest association with political engagement. We find that major social groups differ in their relationship with engagement, and we also find that formal political arrangements for group accommodation may condition the effects of some memberships on engagement.

Publication Title

The Journal of Politics

Volume

65

Issue

4

First Page

1111

Last Page

1129

Required Publisher's Statement

The Journal of Politics / Volume 65 / Issue 04 / November 2003, pp 1111-1129
Copyright © 2003, Southern Political Science Association
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-2508.t01-2-00128 (About DOI), Published online: 29 July 2008

Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3449924

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Political participation--Europe; Social capital (Sociology)--Europe; Democracy--Europe

Geographic Coverage

Europe

Genre/Form

articles

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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