Social Capital Publications

SPP 433

Title: WHAT MAKES A GOOD CITIZEN? ATTITUDES TOWARDS CIVIC VIRTUE IN EUROPE AND HOW SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IMPACT UPON THEM
 
Author: Florian Pichler and Claire Wallace
 
Description: In all the debates about citizenship, it is assumed that a virtuous citizen is one that votes, obeys laws and participates in their society. Furthermore, the discussion of social capital has assumed that strong social capital is a way of promoting good citizenship. However, the idea of the good citizen is hardly explored. In this paper, using the European Values Survey for 1999 we look at normative models of good citizenship, focusing upon the role of citizen towards the state on the one hand the role of the citizen towards the public good on the other hand. We consider the individual characteristics of people who support either strict or lenient models of citizenship and we look at in which countries each particular view prevails. Finally, we consider the relationship between norms of good citizenship, social capital and political participation in order to test whether these things are indeed associated.

Price: £3.00
 
Postal Address:    CSPP Publications, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XQ, UK