What can the politically active explain about the politically disengaged? Exploring the pathways and barriers to millennials’ political participation

This thesis explores the social factors which produce or inhibit political engagement amongst millennials during their formative years. To investigate these phenomena, this study has conducted one-to-one interviews with millennials who are committed to formal political participation. It has developed an original method and typology to explore what the politically engaged can explain about political behaviour and participation. This technique has been specifically created to analyse the barriers youth face to political participation and develop strategies to overcome these barriers. This research illuminates how collective experiences and social structures mediate the likelihood of involvement in politics. To increase the understanding of how structures influence young people’s engagement with politics, this thesis has compared the experiences of politically active millennials with differential social status and access to resources. In particular, the thesis has outlined how social, cultural and economic factors influence the political socialisation an individual receives and the barriers to political participation they face, narrowing or expanding the likelihood of their future political participation. The thesis has made recommendations about how to overcome these barriers which have been developed from insights provided by the research participants