Political Involvement among Young Women A Critical Analysis

Political Involvement among Young Women: A Critical Analysis

Introduction

One of the most important areas of social life in Canada and elsewhere is the involvement of young people in governance because this has been noted to be a key part of ensuring a better future for other generations. In this light, Queniart and Jacques (2004) focus on a key social issue relating to how young women in Canada continue to embrace politics through various types of involvement.

General Problem and Research Question

The general problem being studied is how young people (especially young women) can be involved in political issues in Canada. By specifically targeting young women in Quebec, Queniart and Jacques (2004) ask how and shy young people turn out to be activists. The question is meant to address the sociological issue on how young Quebecers can and should practice political involvement. The paper also seeks to define what political involvement means and the weight it carries for the younger generation of women.

From the above general problem and research question, the primary objective of the study project that Queniart and Jacques carried out was to determine the factors that motivate young women to become politically active and advocate for social change. Sociologists are better able to understand why young women come together for one cause rather than another as a result of this information. This technique, which was made feasible by the process, was used by Queniart and Jacques (2004) in their investigation of the significance of involvement for young people in Quebec. Because Queniart and Jacques (2004) believed that comprehensive personal interviews and grounded theory principles would be the best means to obtain qualitative data for the purpose of their study, the qualitative technique was selected. 

Theory and Variables

The theory the authors are testing in the paper is why young women from Quebec become politically involved in matters relating to governance and social issues affecting Canadians. Specifically, they want to relate two variables: participation in the political sphere and the motivation behind this participation. The paper was not guided by a pronounced theoretical perspective, rather through a thorough research process that attempted to relate the reasons for participation and the meaning of said involvement for the women. There are a variety of personal, familial, and historical variables that contribute to the participation of young women in politics. The significance of this engagement is seen differently by each of the research participants in Queniart and Jacques (2004) study. Most of the time, something that has happened in the social or political sphere, such as the Quebec Referendum on Independence and the World March of Women, is what inspires people to become politically active. However, this section can’t be properly comprehended until other aspects, such as the respondent’s personal and family background, are taken into consideration as well.

Major Concepts Discussed and Definitions in the Literature Review

The major concepts discussed in the literature review by Queniart and Jacques (2004) look at how young people are influenced by the trends in contemporary society to act the way they do. Postmodern philosophy has investigated how people’s life trajectories are becoming more individual, and how they are moving away from the public domain and toward the private sphere. This, according to Queniart and Jacques (2004), provides evidence that the subject of engagement may also be viewed from a different perspective. In this context, individualism is portrayed in a more favorable light, which is consistent with the notion that political changes should be considered in conjunction with participation. Involvement is no longer equated with a person’s commitment to the values held by a specific organization (Queniart and Jacques, 2004). On the other hand, it is seen as a personal interest in a cause that has the potential to become a communal effort in the future, but which begins on a personal level.

In defining individualism and the influences to political participation amongst young people, Queniart and Jacques (2004) rely on an environment-related perspective. An individualist, in their view, is not someone who is separate, isolated, self-centered, or withdrawn; rather, an individualist is someone who is free, communicative, and helpful; who accepts responsibility for constructing a bright future for everyone; and who has a positive opinion of themselves. People are engaged on a more intimate level the majority of the time when this kind of individuality is practiced. The demonstration will take the shape of a participatory protest, during which individuals will have the opportunity to express their opinions freely and will place an emphasis on various modes of communication with the general public. To put it another way, Queniart and Jacques (2004) provide an explanation for the emergence of a new model of “remote involvement” that runs against to the paradigm of conventional militant action. This new style of thinking eliminates the need to belong to a certain group or to maintain a particular identity by placing a greater emphasis on involvement that is restricted or contractual rather than participation that is uncontrolled. The concept of an active citizen as a person who participates in their community is being phased out in favor of a new one that places a greater focus on participating as a member of society. This new conception is replacing the older one.

Traditional methods of getting involved, such as voting or joining a political party, and the political reference points that go along with them, such as the distinction between the left and the right, become less important or even disappear as new methods of getting involved take their place. Examples include the difference between the left and the right. According to Queniart and Jacques (2004), some of these innovative approaches to doing things take the form of focused activities and protest movements that concentrate on societal issues of significant magnitude, such as solidarity, exclusion, unemployment, and inequality. Additionally, there are several new methods to participate (stemming from issues of identity, ethics, liberalism). According to Queniart and Jacques (2004), the attitudes that young people have about politics are no longer considered to be unfavorable. Because they create new forms of participation that are more eclectic and pieced together, and have more roots in the associational sector than in political parties or unions, they are seen as key players in this paradigm. This is due to the fact that they create new forms of participation that are more pieced together.

Young people, as per the literature review in Queniart and Jacques (2004) article, have always desired to take action to safeguard their beliefs and interests, but they are becoming less and less inclined to be attached to political or ideological organizations. This may be due to the fact that political and ideological groupings tend to be more exclusive. The willingness of young people to take action to protect their views and interests has always been there. They want to work on initiatives that are unique to their sector and provide visible outcomes in a short amount of time. Additionally, they tend to focus the majority of their time and energy on issues that have a direct bearing on their own life, such as the plight of the homeless, unemployed young, and the experience of immigrants. Because of this, Queniart and Jacques (2004) make the unexpected conclusion that something that is often referred to as “depoliticization” might really be a new sort of politicization or even the adoption of an altogether other political aim.

Type of Research Methods Were Used in the Article

The type of research methods used in the article adhered to a qualitative research design. Queniart and Jacques (2004) were confident that in-depth personal interviews and the principles of grounded theory would be the best way to get the information required for the study, and as a result, came to the conclusion that a qualitative approach would be the most effective way to go about conducting the research. For the purpose of this study, only organizations and groups that had the potential to alter the methods, practices, and meanings associated with political involvement among young women were taken into consideration (Queniart and Jacques, 2004). Mixed groups, as opposed to groups that are exclusively for women, intergenerational organizations, as opposed to groups that are exclusively for young people, and the amount of institutionalization that the group has are all instances of these three sorts of groups. Those that responded were selected on the basis of a variety of criteria, including their gender, age, and the degree to which they were interested in the topic (Queniart and Jacques, 2004). It is required that all of the participants be females between the ages of 18 and 30, and that they all fall within the same age range. The majority of the people who hold leadership positions in large youth organizations and on youth group committees are between the ages of 18 and 30. People who fill out the survey must also attend activities that are put on by the organization before they can send in their responses to the questionnaire. The responses they provided are included in the study’s final group of thirty young women.

Sampling and Participation

The primary subjects that were discussed in the semi-structured interviews lasted an average of an hour and a half each and were as follows: 1) the course of their involvement (including their motivations, triggering mechanisms, where their interest in politics originated, and so on); 2) their life history (including their academic and family trajectories); 3) meaning of involvement for the participants (such as definition and representation); and 4) the ways and application of their involvement. Each interview was taped and transcribed word for word to ensure that no information was lost in the process of translation. Following that, Queniart and Jacques (2004) examined the level of expertise included within the text. Both the comparative analysis and the vertical analysis focused on the substance of the interviews, and both found that the statements made by the young women were associated to independent factors (such as family status) (interview cross-comparison). During each of these studies, some components of the manner in which each tale was constructed were eliminated. After that, these components were categorized into groups, and hypotheses were formulated on the basis of those categories.

Results and Findings

The results and findings of Queniart and Jacques (2004) study aimed to determine the reasons why women desired to become politically active. Their findings revealed that the women wanted to make a difference in the world. In a nutshell, all of the people who took part in the research agreed that there is room for improvement. They are certain that societal change is attainable if individuals make an effort to educate themselves about what is occurring in the world and to speak up in public rather than only venting their frustrations behind closed doors. The individuals who participated in the poll and provided their responses all agreed that in order for widespread change to occur, each individual must demonstrate initiative and participation in the process (Queniart and Jacques, 2004). Everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do, is required to contribute in some way to the process of effecting change. But in order for this “action power” to be effective, individuals need to cooperate with one another. In other words, they emphasize the significance of individuals cooperating with one another in order to achieve a shared objective.

Results versus Answering the Original Research Question

The results were used to answer the original research question that Queniart and Jacques (2004) presented on how women define involvement in politics and why. They found out that the many avenues via which these young ladies want to affect the world each have a unique impact on the objectives they have set for themselves. People become engaged in politics because they want to improve the way men and women connect to each other and make things fairer. Another reason people get involved is because they want to make the world a better place. In addition to this, they wish to dispel the unfavorable notions that younger generations hold towards feminism. In order to achieve this goal, young women need to be made aware that inequality between men and women is still an issue and encouraged to participate in the movement. This is really significant, particularly for young women who don’t like the name “feminist” being used to describe them (Queniart and Jacques, 2004). The roles that women play in their everyday lives are intricately linked to whether or not they choose to become involved in politics. It stems from a profound want for equality, which, in turn, enables individuals to better identify who they are and place value on the work that they perform. These young women saw feminism not just as a means to effect social change, but also as a struggle for the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body and life. Young women who are active in politics are primarily interested in effecting one major change together, and that change is for Quebec to become politically independent.

In relation to the above findings, in order to take part, Queniart and Jacques (2004) mention that the above-mentioned respondents as well as young women who are engaged in the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) or other community organizations on a local level must endeavor to eliminate any and all forms of inequality. To be more precise, it includes taking measures to tackle the difficulties and anxieties that young people encounter and making it easier for them to speak what they believe in public. Additionally, Queniart and Jacques (2004) found that involvement implies making it simpler for young people to express themselves. For the purpose of this research, interviews were conducted with thirty young women, all of whom thought that they shouldered some degree of responsibility for the development of society on all fronts, in addition to the various activities in which they take part. From what Queniart and Jacques (2004) present, the women’s sense of duty is mostly focused on avoiding undesirable events from taking place. This is due to the fact that they are most concerned about the fate of future generations. The fact that taking part in this activity requires a significant investment of one’s time serves as a useful reminder that it is a commitment with a protracted time frame. There is also effort involved in this circumstance due to the fact that these young ladies think they have a duty to other individuals and to society as a whole. As a consequence of this, the term “engagement” may be synonymous with the commitment or obligation of a citizen to actively part in the political and social life of their local community.

Ethical Issues and How They Were Addressed

The research faced some ethical issues despite the authors not mentioning them. First, there was actual research on the thoughts and feelings of young women. This meant that the ideas and feelings of various young women must be recorded with accuracy without manipulation. Secondly, it also meant seeking consent before publishing any of the above mentioned. The issues were addressed using the research guidelines of ensuring voluntary participation, full involvement regarding knowledge of how and why the participants are involved in the research, and the measure to keep participants aware of their right to exit anytime without explanation needed.

General Strengths/Weaknesses of the Article

Overall, the research is very well presented. I found that the results and findings section complemented the literature review and the introductory parts quite efficiently. The paper has good cohesion and is very easy to follow. The only weakness is that the paper has insufficient tables to make the presentation more summarized for the methodological sections.

Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses

The qualitative approach helps to better explain why young women in Canada feel the way they do regarding political involvement. There would have been no other better way to capture these thoughts and ideas. The qualitative study technique includes subjecting young women interested in politics to subjective questioning in order to elicit explanations of the motivations underlying their conduct.

Questions about the Research Process and Concepts

I would want to know if the authors conducted a follow up research afterwards. I also want to find out if they included the traditional versus contemporary debate in the future or how they plan to develop this concept introduced in the findings. I believe that this research study is one of the best I have come across.

References

Queniart, A., & Jacques, J. (2004). Political involvement among young women: a qualitative analysis. Citizenship Studies, 8(2), 177-193.