IOP Student Survey Reveals that Old Political Labels Don't Always Apply
Ben Renda
Issue date: 5/4/06 Section: KSG News
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A recent poll conducted by the Institute of Politics showed that foreign policy is foremost on students' minds and is heavily reflected in political attitude. It also showed that religion and morality are becoming critical elements of the political debate.
Former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, Director of the Institute of Politics, used the Heritage Foundation as a backdrop to unveil the IOP's annual undergraduate student survey on April 11th. The survey is a comprehensive snapshot of the political mood of the 18-24 year old voters across the United States.
Many of the findings challenged the conventional wisdom about politics and voting behavior.
For instance, the old political duality of liberal and conservative is not as relevant, the survey showed. Secular centrists and religious centrists rule the middle ground. While older voters tend to maintain party allegiance, younger voters refuse to be 'pigeon-holed' into traditional party camps while they begin to seriously examine the contemporary, complex political issues. Watershed events, such as 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have focused students' attention on politics and the U.S. government's proper roles and responsibilities.
In addition to the 'big three' moral issues - stem cell research, gay marriage, and abortion policy - students are increasingly viewing other political issues in a moral context. Students responded to the following topics as at least somewhat morally based: healthcare (44%), education policy (39%), environmental policy (40%), and welfare policy (39%).
What might be of surprise to some is the strength of the average undergraduates' feelings on multilateralism and intervention. 72% of the students polled "believe that the United Nations, and not the United States, ought to take the lead in solving international conflicts and crises."
Moreover, when asked about valid reasons to deploy U.S. troops, 66% responded that the prevention of genocide or ethnic cleansing warranted intervention. Other motives received surprisingly little support: including spreading freedom and democracy (34%) and stopping development of nuclear weapons (33%).
Former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, Director of the Institute of Politics, used the Heritage Foundation as a backdrop to unveil the IOP's annual undergraduate student survey on April 11th. The survey is a comprehensive snapshot of the political mood of the 18-24 year old voters across the United States.
Many of the findings challenged the conventional wisdom about politics and voting behavior.
For instance, the old political duality of liberal and conservative is not as relevant, the survey showed. Secular centrists and religious centrists rule the middle ground. While older voters tend to maintain party allegiance, younger voters refuse to be 'pigeon-holed' into traditional party camps while they begin to seriously examine the contemporary, complex political issues. Watershed events, such as 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have focused students' attention on politics and the U.S. government's proper roles and responsibilities.
In addition to the 'big three' moral issues - stem cell research, gay marriage, and abortion policy - students are increasingly viewing other political issues in a moral context. Students responded to the following topics as at least somewhat morally based: healthcare (44%), education policy (39%), environmental policy (40%), and welfare policy (39%).
What might be of surprise to some is the strength of the average undergraduates' feelings on multilateralism and intervention. 72% of the students polled "believe that the United Nations, and not the United States, ought to take the lead in solving international conflicts and crises."
Moreover, when asked about valid reasons to deploy U.S. troops, 66% responded that the prevention of genocide or ethnic cleansing warranted intervention. Other motives received surprisingly little support: including spreading freedom and democracy (34%) and stopping development of nuclear weapons (33%).
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