Politics in Peer Groups: Exploring the Causal Relationship between Network Diversity and Political Participation

Headnote

Abstract

Social capital researchers have suggested that bridging ties are important for political participation. However, thus far the literature lacks testing on the direction of this relationship: do diverse ties stimulate political participation or does political participation stimulate political diversity among friends and acquaintances? This article examines how ethno-cultural and political diversity within social networks influence political participation among a unique panel of 4,235 young people in Belgium. The results reveal a reciprocal cross-lagged effect. In particular, having politically diverse social networks increases political participation, which in turn promotes meeting politically diverse others.

Keywords

political participation, political diversity, youth, social networks, panel data

Introduction

Social capital researchers have suggested that bridging ties, namely, networks of people with different opinions and backgrounds, are important for democratic politics (Cigler and Joslyn 2002; Marschall and Stolle 2004; Putnam 2000). Bridging ties in informal networks of friends and acquaintances have been highlighted as particularly beneficial for the dissemination of information and political mobilization (Granovetter 1973; Mutz and Mondak 2006). Yet, the limited research into the impact of social diversity on political participation has contrasting findings: while some suggest a dampening effect (Alesina and Ferrara 2000; Costa and Kahn 2003; Mutz 2002a, 2006; Putnam 2007), other research has shown a positive effect on political participation, at least for some types of participation and among some populations (Pattie and Johnston 2009; Putnam 2007; Scheufele et al. 2006). Moreover, very little research has questioned and explored the direction of causality from experienced diversity to participation.

Two main questions drive our research. We first attempt to disaggregate network effects: does the relationship between network diversity and political participation function similarly across different dimensions of diversity? In particular, we are interested in both political diversity, which we might expect to have a direct impact on political participation, as well as ethno-cultural diversity. Second, does network diversity cause political participation, or is there evidence that political engagement can fuel diverse encounters? To explore these questions, this study uses a two-wave panel survey collected among Belgian youth in 2006 and 2008. Unlike most research into network effects, this unique longitudinal design allows us to test the direction of causality between social network diversity and political participation.

Our results show that young people who have more...