Learning Protest: Youth Attitudes Toward Protest as Civic Action in a Cross-national Perspective

Banaszak's study concerns the ways in which youth learn about and perceive peaceful protests as a means of civic engagement. Using a sample of young adults surveyed as part of the 1999 International Educational Achievement Civic Education survey, Banaszak seeks to explain how acceptance of peaceful protest varies both across and within countries. Specifically, the study focuses on four questions 1) How does a nation's political context (the amount and form of protest) influence young citizens' civic attitudes? 2) How does protest concerning specific issues (e.g., environment or immigration) influence adolescents' attitudes toward the subject? 3) Do teachers' orientations influence student attitudes toward protest? 4) How do teacher values and political protest interact? By combining information on countries' protest events with the IEA surveys, Banaszak will contribute to an understanding of how young citizens learn protest as a form of civic action, as well as how dramatic events shape the opinions of future citizens.,