Premium
Political non‐participation in elections, civic life and social movements
Author(s) -
Hensby Alexander
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
sociology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1751-9020
DOI - 10.1111/soc4.12843
Subject(s) - politics , sociology , social movement , social science , epistemology , political science , law , philosophy
This article reviews existing theory and research on political non‐participation. Spanning the electoral, civic and social movement spheres, it critically compares the different conceptual tools that have been employed to explain why individuals might not participate in politics. This includes the study of rational choice, political socialisation, social networks and political emotions. In doing, this article identifies opportunities for a more holistic approach to studying non‐participation across multiple fields and contexts in the social sciences.