Explicating Factors That Foster Civic Engagement among Students

Abstract

This paper investigates many facets of civic engagement by analyzing how college undergraduate students conceptualize civic engagement and by examining factors that predict greater student involvement in political, social, and community affairs.We administered a survey to college students at the beginning of fall, winter, and spring terms, 2001-02.We analyzed survey responses using a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The analysis examines how expectations of community and political efficacy, attitudes regarding citizen control of government, and attitudes toward diversity relate to the students’ civic engagement behaviors such as monthly volunteer hours, organizational participation, advocacy, voting, direct political action, and action to promote diversity and social justice in the community. The result of the SEM analysis indicates that expectations of efficacy significantly predict students’ direct political action, monthly volunteer hours, organizational participation, advocacy, and voting attitude. Students’ sense of control over public affairs significantly predicts organizational participation, advocacy, and voting attitude. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to curriculum design to foster civic engagement.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Masami Nishishiba

Masami Nishishiba is an assistant professor of public administration in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. Her research and publication interests include issues of social diversity, civic capacity, and quantitative methods.

Hal T. Nelson

Hal T. Nelson is a doctoral candidate and an instructor in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. His research interests are civic engagement, international political economy, and energy policy.

Craig W. Shinn

Craig W. Shinn is an associate professor and a division chair of public administration in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. He has a broad teaching, research, and civic career in land and public use planning, as well as natural resources policy, organization, and management.