Inequality, Civic Education and Intended Future Civic Engagement: An Examination of Research in Western Democracies

May 9, 2026

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Educational systems socialize young people to become active members of society, expecting schools to teach active citizenship through civics and social education or cross-curricular approaches. Inequality in individual resources and institutional or contextual settings shapes civic education outcomes, producing a civic empowerment gap across knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors. Patterns of social inequality influence how secondary-school students become civically engaged, with disparities persisting into adulthood. When civically disadvantaged groups cannot voice concerns, democratic legitimacy and stability are challenged in Western representative systems.

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May 9, 2026