It’s Time to Disagree: Young People’s Self-efficacy for Political Disagreement in Norway

Abstract

Discussion about political and social issues in school matter for a wide array of democratic skills and competences such as political engagement, participation, and knowledge. However, little research has been done on what impact characteristics of the discussion climate in classrooms can have on young people's engagement with political disagreements and conflicts. This article applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to survey data from the 2016 Norwegian International Civic and Citizenship study (ICCS) to show how discussions about social and political issues in the classroom setting can serve as an arena for building young peoples’ self-efficacy for political disagreements. The analysis also considers the role of political interest and socioeconomic background.