Saltman, EM; (2014) Turning right: A case study on contemporary political socialization of the Hungarian youth. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Young Central and Eastern Europeans are growing up in newly solidifying democratic political systems with parents raised under an entirely different regime. In order to comprehend future sociopolitical dynamics within these countries it is crucial to question how the youth are developing their political knowledge and how they are engaging in political activism. As such, political socialization provides a lens for analyzing what forms youth activism is taking and tracking the roots of current political trends. Political socialization, as a theory, is relatively straightforward. The influences of agents affecting an individual in their earlier in life have a significant impact on political outlooks and activism in later years. However, ‘political socialization’ is also a process and a field of research with certain methods and structures. Through primarily qualitative analysis, this report investigates the influences behind post-communist political trends among the youth, targeting the primary agents of socialization: family unit, educational institutions and the media. These agents are analyzed in the context of political parties and grassroots social movements. Although socialization theory targets these agents as key actors affecting political development, there is limited previous research into multi-agent analysis, with the majority of research focusing on one agent. This report also analyzes social movements as an agent of socialization, not traditionally targeted by previous political socialization theory. Thus, this report adds to wider political socialization research while presenting a unique case study into youth political developments in Hungary. Hungary is an important experiencing a growing political shift away from liberal European values, giving preference to nationalist and increasingly exclusionary politics. Larger trends of right wing and radical right voter support are also heightened among the youth population. Tracking how these shifts are developing and mainstreaming serves to better define what is a national anomaly in Hungary and what might be a predictor of larger regional or European trends.

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