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Youth Political Socialization and Participation
When and how do people become politically engaged? A central part of my research examines how political attitudes, motivations and patterns of participation develop during adolescence and continue into adulthood.
Using longitudinal studies that follow the same individuals over many years, I examine the importance of political interest, democratic norms, political efficacy, participation in associations, extracurricular activities and experiences at school.
This research emphasizes that young people are not merely passive recipients of political socialization. They develop political orientations, motivations and readiness for action that can shape political participation much later in life.
Longitudinal studies following the same individuals from adolescence into adulthood.
4 selected studies
- Peer-reviewed articleYouth Political Socialization and Participation
When Standby Citizens Step In: The Role of Institutional Factors in Triggering Youth Political Participation
2025Abdelzadeh, A., Lundberg, E., & Amnå, E.YOUNG
Politically passive young people are not necessarily uninterested. The study shows that so-called standby citizens – politically interested young people who do not yet participate actively – have a clear readiness to become politically active. Those who moved from readiness to active participation had at the same time become more dissatisfied with the government's performance, suggesting that perceived political shortcomings can act as a trigger for participation.
- Peer-reviewed articleYouth Political Socialization and Participation
From civic roots to voting booths: Gendered pathways from adolescent motivation to electoral participation in adulthood
2026Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.Political Psychology
Can political motivations formed during adolescence affect whether we vote more than a decade later? The study shows that young people who early saw voting as an important civic duty were more likely to vote as adults. At the same time, the associations looked different for women and men: among women, several early political motivations were linked to later electoral participation, while men's participation was mainly associated with earlier voting and structural background factors. The study thus shows that political motivations shaped already during adolescence can have long-term significance for participation in democracy.
- Peer-reviewed articleYouth Political Socialization and ParticipationCivic Engagement and Volunteering
The role of youth extracurricular activities and political intentions in later political participation and civic engagement
2025Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.Journal of Adolescence
What young people do and what they themselves plan to do politically can affect their future participation. The study follows adolescents from age 16 to 20 and shows that both participation in organized leisure activities and early political intentions are associated with later political participation offline. The results underline the importance of both young people's social contexts and their own political readiness for action.
- Peer-reviewed articleYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Can Participation in Mock Elections Boost Civic Competence among Students?
2024Lundberg, E.Journal of Political Science Education
Can school elections strengthen young people's democratic competence? A study of more than 9,000 Swedish students shows that participation in school elections is perceived above all to increase political knowledge, but also to some extent political interest, engagement and self-confidence. The effects differ across student groups, showing that school elections can serve as democratic training but do not affect all students in the same way.
Related publications
- Peer-reviewed articleTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesCivic Engagement and VolunteeringYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Time matters: civic engagement and the development of anti-immigrant attitudes among adolescents
2022Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.Acta Politica
- Peer-reviewed articleTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
The role of school climate in explaining changes in social trust over time
2019Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research
- Peer-reviewed articleTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
School, friends, or a matter of personality? A multidimensional approach to exploring sources of tolerance among students
2018Lundberg, E.Nordic Studies in Education
- Peer-reviewed articleTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Solid or Flexible? Social Trust from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood
2018Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E.Scandinavian Political Studies
- Book chapterYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Det demokratiska utanförskapets geografi
2022Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E.I 100 år till, del 2 av 4, Demokratin 100 år – samling för en stark demokrati (Ku 2018:02). Stockholm: Elanders
- Book chapterTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Hur kan lärare främja positiva interetniska relationer i skolan? Förutsättningar, strategier och utmaningar
2021Bayram Özdemir, S., Lundberg, E., & Özdemir, M.I Thalberg, S., Asplund, A. & Silberstein, D. (red.), Ungas uppväxtvillkor och integration. Stockholm: Delegationen för migrationsstudier, Rapport 2021:6
- Book chapterTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesCivic Engagement and VolunteeringYouth Political Socialization and Participation
A school of tolerance? Participation in associations and youth tolerance
2017Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.In Lundberg, E. (Ed.), Mechanisms of tolerance: an anthology. Stockholm: The Living History Forum
- Book chapterTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
The development of tolerance among the young
2017Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.In Lundberg, E. (Ed.), Mechanisms of tolerance: an anthology. Stockholm: The Living History Forum
- ReportYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Unga väljare är inga oskrivna blad
2026Lundberg, E.I Bolin, N. m.fl. (red.), Snabbtänkt: Reflektioner från valet 2026 av ledande forskare (DEMICOM-rapport nr 57). Mittuniversitetet
- ReportYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Kan deltagande i skolval stärka ungas delaktighet i demokratin?
2023Lundberg, E., & Lundin, H.Policy brief, bilaga 3 i Skolval 2022 i samband med riksdagsvalet. Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor
- ReportYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Ungas röst – en studie om ungdomars valdeltagande 2018 och deras egna tankar om att delta i val
2022Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E.Stockholm: Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor
- ReportTrust, Tolerance and Democratic ValuesYouth Political Socialization and Participation
Fostering tolerance and social trust and preventing value conflicts among young persons: How does school context play a role?
2019Lundberg, E.Conference report, Nordic Education in a Democratically Troublesome Time. Örebro University
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