Appendix B- Political Socialization
In this exercise we want to delve into our intimate political surroundings as a way of determining perhaps our own political socialization. There are several parts listed below.
- Define the term political socialization.
- Ask your parents if they identify themselves with a political party, if they have consistently voted in one direction and then ask them to list at least 4 reasons they would give to support this decision. If they waffle a bit ask them to explain why they do not subscribe to one or the other.
- Identify the education, religious, and ethnic background of your parents and grandparents (as best you can). Using the explanations in the textbook see if perhaps this demographic information aligns with the answers in number one.
- Identify your own political leanings and see if one and two align with who you have become politically. In other words answer the question, "does my families political identity, our ethnicity, our religion, and our cumulative educational achievements have something to do with my political opinions?"
- Look further into your world to find hints of political influence. Find two examples in your favorite music, two examples in your favorite television shows, and at least one other example that is specifically pertinent to your every day likes or dislikes. It could be a piece of poetry, visual art, a musical, an example in a piece of literature, or maybe even a video game. Analyze these just as we did film. What political points are your examples making and why? Do they seem to match what you think on a particular subject or set of subjects? Have any of these played a role in your political socialization? Do they lend credence or create a sense of validity about a way you have previously thought on a given subject?
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