Project

The decline in political participation and the rise of cynicism, apathy, and negative attitudes toward politics.

Problem Statement

Political participation and civic engagement among young people have declined in many democratic countries worldwide, contributing to a gradual erosion of democracy and a rollback of the progress achieved over the past 35 years in curbing autocratic tendencies. This decline is reflected in increasing indicators such as media censorship, repression of civil society organizations, and restrictions on academic freedom (Varieties of Democracy, 2023, p. 7). Young people play a pivotal role in this trend, as they are both the demographic least engaged in political participation and the most active users of digital social networks, whether for information or self-expression. Understanding the influence of media on young people’s political behavior is therefore essential, as is exploring the potential emergence of new forms of participation.

This research focuses on low political participation and civic disaffection among youth in Mexico and France, contexts where digital social networks exert significant influence. The study targets young people aged 18 to 29 residing in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, and Chambéry, France.

Two central issues underpin this research: the decline in political participation, reflected in various forms of political engagement, and the rise of cynicism, apathy, and negative attitudes toward politics, manifested in patterns of political disaffection. At the heart of the study is an examination of political communication as a decisive and intervening factor shaping youth participation and civic disaffection. Here, communication is understood not merely as a channel for transmitting messages but as a symbolic arena in which meanings are negotiated, political narratives are constructed, and young people’s perceptions, attitudes, and decisions are actively influenced.

Objectives

Research Objective

The general objective of the research and the specific objectives are described below.

General Objective

To assess the influence of types of social representations of political participation and types of political culture on the patterns of political participation and political disaffection among young people aged 18 to 29 living in Celaya and Chambéry. This assessment considers the role of political communication power in digital social networks, sociodemographic characteristics, young people’s perceptions of social and political issues, and the methods that shape the political universe within young people’s political ideologies.

General Research Question

How do types of social representations of political participation and types of political culture influence patterns of political participation and political disaffection among young people aged 18 to 29 living in Celaya and Chambéry, considering the role of political communication power in digital social networks, sociodemographic characteristics, young people’s perceptions of social and political issues, and the methods that shape the political universe within their political ideologies?

Unit of Analysis

This study considers as its unit of analysis young people aged 18 to 29 living in the cities of Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, and Chambéry, France, which are the age groups with the lowest electoral participation rates.

This age group was selected for two main reasons:

The minimum voting age in both countries is 18. Therefore, it was decided that participants in both the qualitative and quantitative phases of the research should be at least 18 years old at the time of participation.
Age groups that participated the least in the most recent electoral process, taking into account that electoral data are the officially available source.
Young people residing in Celaya and Chambéry.
The young participants in this study were not exclusively limited to students.

This methodological decision reflects the intention not to restrict the study to a single population, in order to avoid any type of bias or exclusion based on educational or professional status. Consequently, a more inclusive sample was chosen, incorporating young people who are currently studying, those who are not enrolled in any educational institution, as well as those who combine studies with work or are fully dedicated to their employment.

Scope of the Research

Quantitative research techniques are employed through surveys, and qualitative research techniques are applied through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and the prospective technique of social representations, as well as the use of visual methods. The research scope is explanatory for all variable intersections, except for the variable related to socio-economic characteristics.

Hypothetical Model

The hypothetical model of this research considers as independent variables the types of social representations of political participation (X1) and types of political culture (X2); the dependent variables are types of political participation (Y1) and types of political disaffection (Y2). Additionally, the intermediate variables include sociodemographic characteristics (Z1), young people’s perceptions of social and political issues (Z2), types of political communication power in digital social networks (Z3), and the methods that shape the political universe within political ideologies (Z4).

Explanatory Framework of the Research

The explanatory framework of this research is primarily based on the theory of civic culture (Gabriel Almond & Verba, 1963) for the variable types of political culture. As secondary theories, it draws on the theory of social representations (Moscovici, 1979) for the variable types of social representations of political participation; the theory of communication power (Castells, 2009) for the variable types of political communication power on social networks; the left–right political theory (Bobbio, 1995) for the variable types of methods shaping the political universe within political ideologies; civic and political engagement theory (S. W. Campbell & Kwak, 2010a) and the private sphere theory (Papacharissi, 2010) to address the variable types of political participation; and political disaffection theory (Di Palma, 1970) along with the mediated political disaffection model (Austin & Pinkleton, 1995) for the variable degree of civic disaffection.

Methodological Structure of the Study

The methodological structure is mixed, following a sequential exploratory design in its comparative modality (DEXPLOS). In the first phase, qualitative data were collected to explore the phenomenon, followed by quantitative data collection. Each phase generated its own database for comparison and integration in the development of the results.

Qualitative Methodology

The qualitative study was conducted with young people aged 19 to 29 in Celaya, Mexico, and Chambéry, France, aiming to explore the variables: types of political culture (X1), types of social representations of political participation (X2), types of youth problem perceptions (Z2), types of political communication power on social networks (Z3), types of methods shaping the political universe within political ideologies (Z4), types of political participation (Y1), and types of political disaffection (Y2).
In-depth interviews, social representations exercises, and two activities using visual methods were conducted: one analyzing the experience of consuming political content on digital social networks, and another methodological exploration exercise. These techniques were chosen to thoroughly examine and deepen understanding of the research topic, providing a solid informational foundation for addressing the subsequent stage of the study.

Quantitative Methodology

Data were collected through a digital questionnaire, available in French and Spanish, developed based on insights from the first phase of the study. This approach ensured the creation of a well-targeted and appropriate instrument for gathering information in both countries. The survey samples are described in the methodological framework of this research.

Mixed Methodology

In the mixed-methods approach, the description and reporting of the results from the two initial phases of the research (qualitative and quantitative) were conducted to integrate the findings into a unified narrative presented in the comprehensive analysis report.

Methodological Framework

Initially, the quantitative research phase was developed. The research plan is presented here to address the research questions, test the hypotheses formulated in the first chapter, and measure variables using statistical methods. Data were collected through two questionnaires—one in Spanish and one in French—from which the datasets for analysis and interpretation were generated. This section presents the definition of the units of analysis, the statistical sample, the definition of variables for the quantitative research, the quantitative hypothetical model, the instruments used, and the analyses of statistical validity and reliability.

For the qualitative research phase, various techniques were employed to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon of political communication power on digital social networks and the research problems. This phase relied on in-depth interviews, social representations analysis, and the use of visual anthropology methods—including collaborative video and emotion analysis—to understand the effects of consuming political content on digital social networks among young people, as well as a methodological exploration exercise. This section also presents the qualitative objectives, study informants, dimensions and categories of analysis, the qualitative hypothetical model, and the instruments used.

Due to the complexity of the phenomenon studied, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining objective and subjective perspectives on the problem. This approach is based on the complementarity of quantitative and qualitative research to provide a broader understanding of low political participation and political disaffection, and to strengthen the robustness of the results presented in the following chapter (Hernández Sampieri et al., 2014).

Methodological and Procedural Framework

This study is qualitative in nature, with a comparative structure. It seeks to confront levels of political participation and the degree of political disaffection among young people living in the cities of Celaya (Mexico) and Chambéry (France).

Research Results

Political content on social media

Mexican youth evaluate official communication positively (mean 9.32).
French youth evaluate it poorly (mean 3.22).

Perception of social problems

Main concerns for youth: government/politicians (7.48), violence/crime (7.27).
Personal engagement in solving issues is low (4.46).
Mexicans: 60.6% see violence as main problem; French: critical view of political actors.
France: main concerns—violence, inequality, precarity, environment, institutional exclusion.

Political participation and social representations

Positive correlation between social representations of political participation and actual participation, stronger in Celaya than Chambéry.
In France: tension between civic duty, re-signification of voting, institutional disconnection, and individual withdrawal.
In Celaya: belief in voting as effective tool correlates with higher participation.

Forms of participation

Voting is the most common (7.96), followed by social media engagement (5.60).
French youth show higher enthusiasm for participation.
Word clouds from qualitative data emphasize "vote" and "voting"; Mexican representations also include corruption and dissatisfaction.

Effect of family and political culture

Family environment significantly shapes political perceptions in both countries.
Political culture positively correlates with participation in Celaya; weak correlation in Chambéry.
Affective component (feelings about democracy and politics) is most strongly linked to participation.

Disaffection

In Celaya: political culture not linked to disaffection.
In Chambéry: improved knowledge and evaluation of the political system reduces disaffection, mainly apathy.
Fear and anxiety trigger disaffection in both countries; in Mexico, they also increase participation.

Emotions

Moderate enthusiasm for democracy (5.82) and participation (5.63).
Critical view of institutions: low scores for parties, leaders, and government (3.1).
Mexico: joy and surprise towards influencers, official media, and moderate parties.
France: contempt, sadness, or rejection towards influencers or opposition candidates.

Ideologies and methods

Youth lean toward moderate positions (5.70) over extreme (4.55).
In Mexico, support for extreme governments increases both participation and disaffection.
Youth show diverse ideological positions: authoritarian, anticapitalist, conservative, centrist.

Social media and political power

Correlation between political power on social networks and youth participation in both countries.
In Mexico: social media valued for immediacy, but perceived as hostile, causing self-censorship.
Influencers generate credibility and positive emotions; distrust persists for partisan content.
In France: youth perceive economic domination of media and exclusion of popular actors; influencers are influential

Content effects

Political content generating enthusiasm boosts participation (stronger in Mexico).
Content causing fear or anxiety triggers disaffection (both countries) and can increase participation (Mexico).

Overall conclusions

Participation and disaffection are shaped by family influence, political culture, emotions, and media content.
Political culture is the main factor influencing participation, particularly traditional forms like voting or protests.
Positive emotions and political knowledge correlate most strongly with youth participation.
Social problems and academic training are important but not strongly linked to participation or disaffection.