Building democratic resilience: the impact of political engagement during education on xenophobia and political trust

Abstract This study examines the relationships between political engagement in school or university such as serving as speaker of class or organizing political events and xenophobia and political trust. Following interactionist socialization theory, political engagement during adolescence should shape ideas of citizenship, democracy, and equality and, thus, foster democratic resilience. Schools and universities are arguably key institutions to build trust in political systems and counter-authoritarian dynamics if they provide space for learning democracy by doing. The paper shows that, indeed, political engagement in the context of school or university limits xenophobic views and increases political trust. It further affirms that experiencing efficacy prevents perceiving immigrants as a threat. The original finding that political trust mediates the association between democratic experience and xenophobia further supports this reading. The paper provides evidence from nine European countries (including quotas for young people) for the importance of experiencing democracy through direct engagement at a young age.