Fridkin Kim L., Kenney Patrick J., Crittenden Jack. On the Margins of Democratic Life: The Impact of Race and Ethnicity on the Political Engagement of Young People

The authors surveyed Anglo, African American, Latino, and Native American
eighth-grade students in six middle schools from one U.S. county in 2003
and 2004. The goal of the project was to compare the attitudes of young
people about politics and government at an early age to determine whether
differences existed before high school. The authors found that minority and
Anglo children differ dramatically in their skills and information levels about
politics and government. Anglo adolescents are more likely to have rudimentary
information about politics and government, practice democratic
skills in school and at home, and hold positive attitudes toward politics and
government. Among minority students, Native Americans have the least
information, fewest opportunities to practice democratic skills, and most negative
attitudes toward the political system. The authors also found that
children’s political experiences, captured by their ethnicity and race, affect
their levels of political information and attitudes about government, after
controlling for students’ family and school resources.