136
Emel Altın & Murat Kasımoğlu
ple between the ages of 14-19, in Multi-Programmed High School in Şırnak City Center
which has 1789 students between the dates of 2 and 16 November 2015. A total of 700
questionnaires were applied and 502 valid feedbacks were provided. The students at the
9th and 10th grade in this high school were excluded from research, because the stu-
dents have not been classified according to their fields of education. Scale results were
evaluated in five categories using the SPSS v23 statistical program. The demographic
characteristics of the young people (age, education field, gender) are discussed in the
first of the categories. There is evidence in the literature that the income level, the level
of education and social status of the family have an effect on young people’s political
orientation and civic participation, party determinations and political participation (Jen-
nings, Stoker and Bowers, 2009: 783; Verba, Schlozman and Burns, 2003: 7 Kroh and
Selb, 2009: 1). However, the absence of questions about the young people’s family in
this study is considered a limitation of this study. In the second and third categories, the
duration of their membership and the duration of their active presence in the organization
were analyzed. By analyzing the second and third categories of the measurement, young
people’s motivation of political participation and their ability of transforming this political
participation into action have been analyzed. While the perception of political participa-
tion of young people in the fourth category is discussed, the evaluation of the cultural
and individual characteristics of young people in the fifth category takes place. The scale
was assessed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Analytical tables were
created for each factor.
The political participation tendencies of young people were gathered under four dimen-
sions as communication channels, individual characteristics, motivation and active civil
participation. The dimension names of scale were set out through the youth participation
model of Altın and Kasımoğlu (2016). They reviewed the literature to conceptualize the
socio-economic and political participation tendencies of young people. It is seen that
the literature review of this research confirms the youth participation model of Altın and
Kasımoğlu (2016). The gender, age and educational area of young people, their mem-
bership to organizations engaged in studies for youth, the duration of participation in
voluntary activities, the characteristics and perceptions of young people’s political partic-
ipation are examined in the study. When the literature is examined, it is seen that young
people’s political learning processes are shaped according to their political attitudes,
behaviors, age, experiences and the environmental conditions they are in (Hart et al.
2004: 593). When examined in terms of age, young people’s political apathy can be seen
as normal (Delli Carpini, 2000:341-346; Quantilier, 2007:165; Qdegard and Berglund,
2008:598). The young people have inadequate experience in the ages between 14 and 19
about political participation, because their priorities are maturation, education, career and
partnering. The curriculum of different educational areas (Quantitative/Equal Weighted)
in high schools are important for young people to form political consciousness. It is ex-
pected that the lack of human rights and democracy lesson in the quantitative education
curriculum will make significant differences in the perceptions of political participation of
