Alternative Breaks are service trips that occur at colleges and universities all around the United States, but little is known of their long-term impact on the participants. This study explored how alumni of Alternative Break programs were civically engaged in their communities post-graduation. The survey instrument, modeled on the Life After…

Research examining youths' political development mostly focused on young people as a general group; comparatively less attention has been devoted to the examination of gender pathways toward citizenship. Two studies were conducted addressing (a) the role of parents' participation and the moderating role of adolescent gender and age group (n =…

Latent transition analysis was used to examine civic engagement transitions across 2 waves spanning 8 years in a sample of AmeriCorps participants and a comparison group (N = 1,344; 77% female). Latent indicators of civic engagement included volunteering, community participation, civic organizational involvement, local and national voting, civic…

This paper outlines citizenship issues facing the United States today and presents ways to address these issues in society. Voter turnout, welfare issues, the national service program debate, curriculum reform, and multiculturalism all interface with issues of citizenship in a democracy. Elements contributing to the modern understanding of…

Bound to the notion of teenage apathy is the concern that young people are increasingly disengaged from political and community issues and lacking in social capital. Voting is often regarded as the ultimate form of civic engagement, which implicitly excludes young teenagers from consideration through their status as non-voters. Teenagers'…

Examines data related to social mobility and social participation of Americans. Topics include educational and occupational mobility; voting; volunteer work; charitable giving; community participation; views on religion; and anomie. For journal availability, see SO 506 144. (Author/DB)

Describes the objectives, organizational structure, and proposed activities of the National Task Force on Political Action, a grassroots network organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and designed to recruit citizen participation in providing voter education and promoting voter registration. (MJL)

Since 1978 federal legislation and regulations have required that Teacher Corps projects involve the participation of elected councils of at least seven members representative of the parents and other residents of the communities within the boundaries of the project schools. This booklet provides materials intended to assist in the organization…

Attitudes toward and participation in politics by elementary and secondary school social studies teachers in Texas from 1976-1977 are discussed. Political involvement is interpreted to include voting, contributing time and/or money to a political party, running for political office, belonging to a teachers organization, watching news on…

Asserts that, although active citizenship is heralded as the goal of social studies, few textbook studies have attempted to define or examine civic participation. Reports on a study of the treatment of citizenship in four widely used third-grade textbooks. Finds that, although the texts are largely supportive of mainstream political values, they…

This guide is written for teenagers who may be considering becoming active in their communities. It explains ways teens can increase their power and effectiveness in community life and some of the things they will encounter along the way. It begins by emphasizing the importance of community service, illustrating the ways that teens already may be…

Decreased civic and political participation is a pressing problem in the United States. Today, Americans are less likely to vote, work for a party or candidate, attend a meeting, or belong to a social or community organization than they were 40 years ago. A study used the Community Indicators Survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,206…

Informed and involved citizens are crucial to the functioning of U.S. democracy, yet many people increasingly are reluctant to exercise even the most basic responsibilities of citizenship. Participation in the political process is disturbingly low. If this trend is to be reversed, the country must strengthen civic values and expand the civic…

Designed for youth workers, teachers, counselors, and student organizers, 11 essays in this handbook examine issues concerned with children's rights. "Children's Rights and Social Work" proposes that social workers can speed and direct the process of change by advocating the rights of young people and by providing services to make those rights a…