“The Domino Effect”: How Early Adolescents Describe Their Capacity for Civic Engagement

This qualitative study explored how 28 early adolescents described their capacity for civic engagement as they participated in a civic education camp in the United States and engaged in action civics inquiry projects about local issues. Focus group interviews revealed that these youth recognized the capacity of people their age to raise awareness and advocate about issues they care about while acknowledging their limits as youth and conceding that adults have advantages of age and power. Participants also described their capacity to take personal responsibility for their actions and efforts and to leverage relationships to influence others. Findings suggest that as youth are given opportunities to discuss areas of personal control and influence while engaging in action civics projects, they may begin to develop civic dispositions and imagine themselves taking collective action as a form of democratic participation.