The role of school context in youth radical political activism.
Political radicalism has been proclaimed the highest threat to security and democracy by the Swedish government, European Union, and United Nations. It is also considered a social challenge for culturally diverse societies as it undermines social cohesion, trust, and fuels prejudice. To prevent and reduce radicalization, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms driving individuals to radical milieus. Although radical activists are young, there are still fundamental gaps in our understanding of why some youth, while not others, become radicalized. This project aims to increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind youth radical political activism and, thus, of how it can be challenged. In particular, this project will examine the development of youth radical political activism and the role of school context, one of the main arenas for youth radicalization. It will address three questions: (1) when youth are particularly at risk of radical political activism, (2) what factors in the school context facilitate or challenge youth radical activism, and (3) which youth are the most vulnerable to radicalization. This project will be able to give advice to school-based anti-radicalization programs. With focus on youth radicalization this project will facilitate more inclusive and sustainable society of tomorrow.
Final report
The project’s aims and implementation.
Political radicalism has been proclaimed one of the highest threats to security and democracy by the Swedish government, European Union, and United Nations. It is also considered a social challenge for culturally diverse societies as it undermines social cohesion, trust, and fuels prejudice. To prevent and reduce radicalization, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms driving individuals to radical milieus. Although radical activists are young, there are still fundamental gaps in our understanding of why some youth, while not others, become radicalized. This project aims to increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind youth radical political activism and, thus, of how it can be challenged.
This project examined the development of youth radical political activism and the role of school context using longitudinal data on Swedish youth. The project answered three questions: (1) when are adolescents most at risk of radical political activism, (2) which factors in the school context facilitate and offset youth’s radical political activism, and (3) which adolescents are most vulnerable to radicalisation. The three research questions have been answered using the Significance Quest Theory (SQT; Kruglanski et al., 2013) theoretical framework, measures of actual radical political behavior and peer harassment, and longitudinal analyses.
The project was carried out as planned, and in accordance with the aims specified in the application. The project has shown that younger adolescents, youth who are harassed by their peers at school and boys are most at risk of radicalisation. Supportive relationships with teachers and parents can partially compensate for the negative effects of harassment and thus reduce the risk of radicalization. In addition, the project has shown that open and inclusive climate that stimulate discussions about political and social issues at school stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity. The project has further shown that major political events such as national elections stimulate adolescents’ political engagement. The project makes an important contribution to the study of political activism by increasing our understanding of the radicalization process during adolescence and the psychological, school, and societal factors that contribute to political activism.
The project's most important results and conclusions.
1. The project shows that younger adolescents have higher levels of radical activism than older youth. This suggests that younger adolescents may be particularly easy targets for radical mobilization due to their already elevated general propensity for deviant behavior.
2. The project shows that harassed adolescents have higher levels of radical activism throughout adolescence compared to their less harassed peers.
3. The project shows that youth who perceive their teachers or parents as more supportive are less harassed at school and engage less in radicalism than youth with less supportive teachers or parents.
4. The project shows that the effects of harassment on radicalism are more pronounced for boys than for girls. There are no differences in the effects of harassment between youth with an immigrant background compared to native Swedish youth.
5. The project shows that political discussions at school as well as open and inclusive classroom climate stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity.
6. The project shows that major political events such as national elections stimulate youth’s political engagement.
Summarising, the project shows that adolescents who are harassed at school are more likely to engage in radical political activism than their less harassed peers. This result supports the Significance Quest Theory which suggests that political radicalism may be a result of a low sense of significance, which is a consequence of harassment. They also support the view that adolescence is an important period for the study of political radicalism.
The project also shows that experiences at school, such as open and inclusive climate that stimulates discussions of political and societal issues, stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity. The results support ideas about deliberative democracy which suggest that discussions are important for tolerance. They also support ideas of cooperation as an important tool for fostering tolerance in diverse classrooms.
The results are important for applied research on anti-radicalization programs (Beelmann, 2021) and preventive efforts in schools. The results suggest that anti-harassment programs in schools can counter youth radicalization. They also suggest that teachers and parents can partially mitigate the negative effects of harassment by supporting the youth psychologically and emotionally. The results also show the importance of an open and inclusive climate that stimulates discussions of political and social issues at school for youth’s political engagement and tolerance.
Furthermore, the project shows that major political events such as national elections activate youth’s political engagement. The results support the idea of the socializing value of voting and of adolescence as a window of opportunity for reaching young voters during politicized times. The project makes an important contribution to the study of radical activism by increasing our understanding of the radicalization process during adolescence and the psychological, school, and societal factors that contribute to political activism.
Dissemination of research results.
The results of the project have been disseminated through publications in scientific journals (list below) as well as participation in international conferences and guest lectures: 43rd Annual Meeting of International Society of Political Psychology, 2020; 26th Workshop on Aggression with the special topic The Nature and Prevention of Political Violence, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 2022; Special topic meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Rio Grande, 2022; 26th Biennial Meeting of International Society for Behavioral Development, Rhodes, 2022. Guest lecture at the Center for Research on Prejudice, Warsaw University, 2021; Guest lecture at the Department of Developmental Psychology, Leibnitz University Hannover, 2022; and guest lecture at the Department of Psychology, Gdansk University, 2024.
Publications.
Miklikowska, M., Jasko, K. & Kudrnac, A. (2022). The making of a radical: The role of peer harassment in youth political radicalism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. doi:10.1177/01461672211070420
Miklikowska, M., Rekker R., & Kudrnac, A. (2022). A little more conversation, a little less prejudice: The role of classroom political discussions for youth attitudes toward immigrants. Political Communication. doi:10.1080/10584609.2022.2032502
Eckstein K., Miklikowska, M., Serek, J., Noack, P., & Koerner, A. (2024). Activating effects of elections: Changes in young voters’ political engagement over the course of an election year. Frontiers in Political Science. doi:10.3389/fpos.2024.1302686
Eckstein, K., Miklikowska, M. & Noack, P. (2021). School matters: The effects of school experiences on youth’s attitudes toward immigrants. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. doi:10.1007/s10964-021-01497-x
Miklikowska, M., Eckstein, K., & Matera, J. (2021). All together now: Cooperative classroom climate and the development of youth attitudes toward immigrants. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. doi:10.1002/cad.20414
Hannuksela V., Söderlund, P. & Miklikowska, M. (in review). Political interest, political ideology, and attitudes toward immigration.
Miklikowska M. & Besta T. (in preparation). The role of personality and social norms for youth’s political radicalism.
Political radicalism has been proclaimed one of the highest threats to security and democracy by the Swedish government, European Union, and United Nations. It is also considered a social challenge for culturally diverse societies as it undermines social cohesion, trust, and fuels prejudice. To prevent and reduce radicalization, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms driving individuals to radical milieus. Although radical activists are young, there are still fundamental gaps in our understanding of why some youth, while not others, become radicalized. This project aims to increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind youth radical political activism and, thus, of how it can be challenged.
This project examined the development of youth radical political activism and the role of school context using longitudinal data on Swedish youth. The project answered three questions: (1) when are adolescents most at risk of radical political activism, (2) which factors in the school context facilitate and offset youth’s radical political activism, and (3) which adolescents are most vulnerable to radicalisation. The three research questions have been answered using the Significance Quest Theory (SQT; Kruglanski et al., 2013) theoretical framework, measures of actual radical political behavior and peer harassment, and longitudinal analyses.
The project was carried out as planned, and in accordance with the aims specified in the application. The project has shown that younger adolescents, youth who are harassed by their peers at school and boys are most at risk of radicalisation. Supportive relationships with teachers and parents can partially compensate for the negative effects of harassment and thus reduce the risk of radicalization. In addition, the project has shown that open and inclusive climate that stimulate discussions about political and social issues at school stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity. The project has further shown that major political events such as national elections stimulate adolescents’ political engagement. The project makes an important contribution to the study of political activism by increasing our understanding of the radicalization process during adolescence and the psychological, school, and societal factors that contribute to political activism.
The project's most important results and conclusions.
1. The project shows that younger adolescents have higher levels of radical activism than older youth. This suggests that younger adolescents may be particularly easy targets for radical mobilization due to their already elevated general propensity for deviant behavior.
2. The project shows that harassed adolescents have higher levels of radical activism throughout adolescence compared to their less harassed peers.
3. The project shows that youth who perceive their teachers or parents as more supportive are less harassed at school and engage less in radicalism than youth with less supportive teachers or parents.
4. The project shows that the effects of harassment on radicalism are more pronounced for boys than for girls. There are no differences in the effects of harassment between youth with an immigrant background compared to native Swedish youth.
5. The project shows that political discussions at school as well as open and inclusive classroom climate stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity.
6. The project shows that major political events such as national elections stimulate youth’s political engagement.
Summarising, the project shows that adolescents who are harassed at school are more likely to engage in radical political activism than their less harassed peers. This result supports the Significance Quest Theory which suggests that political radicalism may be a result of a low sense of significance, which is a consequence of harassment. They also support the view that adolescence is an important period for the study of political radicalism.
The project also shows that experiences at school, such as open and inclusive climate that stimulates discussions of political and societal issues, stimulate youth’s political engagement and positive attitudes towards diversity. The results support ideas about deliberative democracy which suggest that discussions are important for tolerance. They also support ideas of cooperation as an important tool for fostering tolerance in diverse classrooms.
The results are important for applied research on anti-radicalization programs (Beelmann, 2021) and preventive efforts in schools. The results suggest that anti-harassment programs in schools can counter youth radicalization. They also suggest that teachers and parents can partially mitigate the negative effects of harassment by supporting the youth psychologically and emotionally. The results also show the importance of an open and inclusive climate that stimulates discussions of political and social issues at school for youth’s political engagement and tolerance.
Furthermore, the project shows that major political events such as national elections activate youth’s political engagement. The results support the idea of the socializing value of voting and of adolescence as a window of opportunity for reaching young voters during politicized times. The project makes an important contribution to the study of radical activism by increasing our understanding of the radicalization process during adolescence and the psychological, school, and societal factors that contribute to political activism.
Dissemination of research results.
The results of the project have been disseminated through publications in scientific journals (list below) as well as participation in international conferences and guest lectures: 43rd Annual Meeting of International Society of Political Psychology, 2020; 26th Workshop on Aggression with the special topic The Nature and Prevention of Political Violence, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 2022; Special topic meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Rio Grande, 2022; 26th Biennial Meeting of International Society for Behavioral Development, Rhodes, 2022. Guest lecture at the Center for Research on Prejudice, Warsaw University, 2021; Guest lecture at the Department of Developmental Psychology, Leibnitz University Hannover, 2022; and guest lecture at the Department of Psychology, Gdansk University, 2024.
Publications.
Miklikowska, M., Jasko, K. & Kudrnac, A. (2022). The making of a radical: The role of peer harassment in youth political radicalism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. doi:10.1177/01461672211070420
Miklikowska, M., Rekker R., & Kudrnac, A. (2022). A little more conversation, a little less prejudice: The role of classroom political discussions for youth attitudes toward immigrants. Political Communication. doi:10.1080/10584609.2022.2032502
Eckstein K., Miklikowska, M., Serek, J., Noack, P., & Koerner, A. (2024). Activating effects of elections: Changes in young voters’ political engagement over the course of an election year. Frontiers in Political Science. doi:10.3389/fpos.2024.1302686
Eckstein, K., Miklikowska, M. & Noack, P. (2021). School matters: The effects of school experiences on youth’s attitudes toward immigrants. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. doi:10.1007/s10964-021-01497-x
Miklikowska, M., Eckstein, K., & Matera, J. (2021). All together now: Cooperative classroom climate and the development of youth attitudes toward immigrants. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. doi:10.1002/cad.20414
Hannuksela V., Söderlund, P. & Miklikowska, M. (in review). Political interest, political ideology, and attitudes toward immigration.
Miklikowska M. & Besta T. (in preparation). The role of personality and social norms for youth’s political radicalism.