Resentment or Empowerment? Civic Education and the Political Efficacy of Rural Individuals

Research on rural identity and political behavior has flourished in the past decade and has highlighted the importance of place-based resentment in shaping individuals’ views of government and politics. We provide a novel perspective on the rural-urban divide by examining the extent to which internal political efficacy and place-based resentment change as one is exposed to civic education. Our analysis suggests that rural identity plays a significant role in individuals’ growth in internal efficacy when exposed to civic education, especially for rural individuals who are first-generation college students. We also find that individuals’ place-based resentment remains unchanged by civic education, and that high resentment – found almost exclusively among rural individuals – constrains growth in internal political efficacy. Ultimately, the results shed light on fundamental questions in American democracy, such as who feels equipped to make a meaningful difference, who feels marginalized, and the extent to which civic education can boost or combat these issues, respectively.