Citizenship and political engagement among young people: The workings and findings of the youth citizenship commission

Parliamentary Affairs

Volumn 63, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 182-200

  Tonge, Jonathan ^a   Mycock, Andrew ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 73849083740     PISSN: 00312290     EISSN: 14602482     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/pa/gsp049     Document Type: Article

References (47)

1. National Foundation for Educational Research, 'Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study (CELS): Emerging Themes', Paper presented to the Youth Citizenship Commission, January 2009.
2. C. Hay, Why we Hate Politics, Polity, 2007.
3. Hay, Why we hate politics C. Hay and G. Stoker, 'Who's Failing Whom? Politics, Politicians, the Public and Sources of Political Disaffection', in A. Russell and G. Stoker (eds), Failing Politics? A Response to 'The Governance of Britain' Green Paper, Political Studies Association, 2008;
4. C. Hay, G. Stoker, G. and A. Williamson, 'Revitalising Politics: Have we lost the plot? Revitalising Politics Conference, November 2008;
5. G. Stoker, Why Politics Matters, Palgrave, 2006.
6. Power Inquiry, Power to the People: An Independent Inquiry into Britain's Democracy, Joseph Rowntree, 2006.
7. T. O'Toole, M. Lister, D. Marsh, S. Jones and A. McDonagh, 'Turning Out or Left Out: Participation and Non-Participation among young people', Contemporary Politics, 9.1, 2003, 45-61.
8. M. Flinders, 'Bridging the Gap: Revitalising Politics and the Politics of Public Expectations', Revitalising Politics Conference, November 2008.
9. HM Government, The Governance of Britain, HMSO, CM 7170, 2007.
10. Ibid., p.5.
11. Hansard, 5 March 2008, Col. 1743. The announcement of the YCC's creation was made by the Prime Minister at PMQs, in response to a question from Julie Morgan (Lab) on the lowering of the voting age.
12. Youth Citizenship Commission, Old Enough to Make a Mark? Should the Voting Age be Lowered to 16? YCC, 2009a.
13. Youth Citizenship Commission, Making the Connection: Building Youth Citizenship in the UK, YCC, 2009b.
14. A. Russell and G. Stoker (eds) Failing Politics? A Response to the Governance of Britain Green Paper, Political Studies Association, 2008.
15. A Parliamentary Question tabled by Tim Loughton, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families asked the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 'if he will publish each (a) letter and (b) email sent from his Department to the Youth Citizenship Commission since the Commission was established. Hansard, HC Deb, 2 July 2009, c369W. As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department replied, there had been no such correspondence. 'Road-testing' of Commission ideas was confined to informal discussions between civil servants. Two Sunday newspapers also contacted the Chair of the Commission asking if there had been 'interference' from the Department of Children Schools and Families. There had not.
16. The 'Government of all the Talents phrased was used by Gordon Brown upon becoming Prime Minister. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk-politics/6245682.stm.
17. Department for Education and Skills, Young People and Politics: A Report on the Yvote/Ynot? Project, Children and Young People's Unit, 2002.
18. Electoral Commission, Age of Electoral Majority: Report and Recommendations, Electoral Commission, 2004.
19. Russell Commission, A National Framework for Youth Action and Engagement, Russell Commission, 2005.
20. Department for Education and Skills, Curriculum Review: Diversity and Citizenship (the Ajegbo Report) DES, 2007.
21. Department for Constitutional Affairs, The Future of Citizenship, DCA, 2007.
22. Goldsmith Commission, Citizenship: Our Common Bond, HMSO, 2008.
23. Hansard, 5 March 2008, HC Deb, Col.1743,
24. Hansard, HC Deb, 15 July 2009, Col. 289.
25. Hansard, 22 July 2008, HC Deb, Col. 1254W.
26. L. Bennett and M. Xenos, 'The Disconnection in Online Politics: The Youth Political Web Sphere and US Election Sites' 2002-2004, Information, Communication and Society, 10.4, 2007, 443-64.
27. E. Van Zoonen, Entertaining the Citizen: Politics in the Fan Democracy, Rowan and Littlefield, 2005.
28. C. Pattie, P. Seyd and P. Whiteley, Citizenship in Britain: Values, Participation and Democracy, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
29. Youth Citizenship Commission, Democratic Engagement and Participation - Segmenting the 11-25s, YCC/Jigsaw, 2009.
30. M. Berlins, 'If 16-year-olds cannot buy cigarettes, surely they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a polling booth', Guardian, 29 October 2008. Even the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, appeared to forget the precise terms of reference for the YCC in claiming it had 'couldn't make up its mind' on the voting age issue. See http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/07/24/ gordon-brown-impressed-by-rap-music-idea-91466-24227764/.
31. See Youth Citizenship Commission Old enough to make a mark?
32. Some German municipalities also allow 16 year olds to vote.
33. Electoral Commission, Age of Electoral Majority.
34. Youth Citizenship Commission, Making the connection, p. 50.
35. See, for example, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Citizenship: 2004/5 Annual Report On Curriculum and Assessment, QCA/05/2165, QCA, 2005;
36. Ofsted, Towards Consensus: Citizenship in Secondary Schools: HMI 2666, Ofsted, 2006;
37. National Foundation for Educational Research, Vision versus Pragmatism: Citizenship in the Secondary School Curriculum in England, NFER, 2007.
38. Youth Citizenship Commission, Democratic Engagement and Participation, op. cit.
39. See also R. Andrews and A. Mycock, 'Citizenship Education in the UK: Divergence in a Multinational State', Citizenship Teaching and Learning, 3.1, 2007, 73-88.
40. Yougov/Prospect Poll, 'Britain's fear of unrest and support for civic service', 23rd February 2009 (available at http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ 2009/03/theprospectyougovpoll/).
41. David Cameron, Political Studies Association Values of Britishness Conference, London, 28th November 2005.
42. Conservative Party, It's Time to Inspire Britain's Teenagers - National Citizen Service for the 21st Century: A Six-Week Programme for Every School Leaver, Conservative Party, 2007.
43. K. Wiggins, 'National Civic Service: Voluntary or Compulsory?', Third Sector (www.thirdsector.co. uk), 25 June 2009.
44. J. Crabtree and F. Field, 'Citizenship first: the case for compulsory civic service', Prospect, 156, June 2009.
45. G. Brown, 'Young Can Boost Community Spirit', News of the World, 12 April 2009.
46. A. Stratton, 'Blunkett Tipped to Head Study on Youth Volunteers', The Guardian, 24 April 2009.
47. Goldsmith Commission op. cit.