The purpose of the study was to establish the ways in which this said community gets involved in politics, and which mode of involvement is mostly rampant within the NUL youth. The study was more determined to explore the diverse ways in which the youth find palatable and find it easy to indulge in as part of political participation process.
It was also the goal of this research to identify the mode of political participation which majority of the youth at NUL preferred over others. It was of paramount importance to discern how meaningful and fruitful do educated Basotho youth consider politics to be. The study used questionnaires to gather information that would address the objectives of this research paper. It also involved interacting with the youth at the National University of Lesotho to explore their level of political participation. In this regard, their inclination in political events were identified and established.
The youth are lacking in ministerial posts and the national assembly of Lesotho. Yet, it is common to hear people say that the youth are leaders of tomorrow. The aim of this research was to establish the level of political participation among the National University of Lesotho (NUL) youth. Data for this study was collected from 15 respondents through a questionnaire. The study found that that the youth participate less when it comes to voting in general elections and supporting political parties, especially when it comes to enrolling for their membership. On the contrary, the level of political participation among the youth at NUL was found to be high as measured using political activism. Despite their low level of political participation, it was established that the youth at NUL preferred to participate in politics through voting in general elections and buying political party products.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the problem
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Justification
1.5 Outline of the study
1.6 Preliminary literature review
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0Theoretical Framework
2.1 Understanding Political Participation
2.1.1 Why NUL should be Political Active
2.1.2 The Mobilization Model
2.2 Political Participation: Empirical Literature
2.2.1 Political participation through election
2.2.2 Determinants of youth voter turnout
2.2.3 Incentives for youth to vote
2.2.4 Disincentives for voting
2.2.5 Why youth votes matter
2.2.6 Political participation through Partisanship
2.3 Political participation and tertiary students
2.3.1 Factors Responsible for Youth Participation
2.3.2 Benefits of Partaking in Politics
2.3.3 Divergent Findings on Participation
2.3.4 Justification for low political participation
2.4 National University of Lesotho and Youth Political Participation
2.4.1 NUL: Historical Background
2.4.2 Political Participation among NUL Youth
2.4.3 Recent political participation Attempts by Students
2.4.4 NUL within a broader Social Context
2.4.5 The context of NUL and issues of participation
2.4.6 Why NUL May not be deep into Politics
CHAPTER 3
Methodology and Research Findings
3.0 Assessment of level of political participation among NUL youth
3.1 Methodology
3.1.1 Population
3.1.2 Sampling
3.1.3 Sample size
3.1.4 Data collection
3.1.5 Data analysis
3.2 Observation and NUL youth Responses
4.0 Data Analysis and interpretation
4.1 Voting Assessment level
4.1.1 Partisanship Assessment level
4.1.2 Political Activism Assessment level
4.1.3 NUL youth reasons for political participation
4.1.4 Reasons for NUL Youth Respondents to avoid politics
4.1.5 Reasons why NUL youth respondents would join or not join a political party wing
4.1.6 Internal assessment of Level of political participation
CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendation
5.2.1 Implications and recommendation on NUL Youth political participation
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the level of political participation among tertiary students at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) and to identify the specific modes of involvement preferred by this demographic, with a focus on addressing the challenges of youth unemployment.
- Evaluation of political participation levels among NUL students.
- Analysis of the relationship between tertiary education and political engagement.
- Investigation of barriers to youth participation in general elections and political parties.
- Assessment of the role of political activism as a preferred mode of participation.
- Exploration of the impacts of unemployment and government policy on student political behavior.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background to the problem
Lesotho has not performed well developmentally because it has experienced high unemployment levels especially among the youth. Youth unemployment rate among youth aged 15-24 was 47.4% in 1997 and 33.5% in 1999 (Index Mundi, 2011). In 2010, Lesotho’s youth unemployment was estimated 38% by the International Labour Organization. While youth unemployment rate remained high in Lesotho, literacy rate in general escalated and was estimated at 87.4% in 2011(Index Mundi, 2011). The implication here is that there are more graduates in the midst of high levels of unemployment.
The government has introduced free primary education and the number of graduates is expected to rise yet there is still a problem of unemployment. There are liberties of freedom of speech in Lesotho and majority of the youth, and educated community have access to facebook, twitter and other social networks of which one doubts if they are adequately utilized by the youth at tertiary to transform the country so that it eventually embarks on job creation than is the case. Tunisia used such networks to bring about its own revolution and so did Egypt as they challenged appalling rates of unemployment. The youth activists spearheaded the uprising that led to the downfall and eventual prosecution of Mubarak and some of the key figures of his regime in Egypt (Norris, 2005). NUL community has to find these social networks instrumental to shaping new political and social awareness and increase political participation not only among the youth but also the society as a whole.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the research, outlining the study's objectives regarding political participation at NUL and discussing the socio-economic context of unemployment in Lesotho.
LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter explores theoretical frameworks like the mobilization model and examines empirical literature on youth voter turnout, partisanship, and the specific political history of NUL students.
Methodology and Research Findings: This section details the research design, including the use of simple random sampling and semi-structured questionnaires to collect data from 15 NUL students.
Data Analysis and interpretation: This chapter presents the findings on NUL students' political behaviors, highlighting their high level of political activism compared to lower participation in traditional electoral processes.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.: This final chapter synthesizes the research findings, concludes that current youth participation is insufficient for meaningful influence, and offers recommendations to enhance political representation.
Keywords
Political participation, National University of Lesotho, youth unemployment, activism, voting, partisanship, political representation, democracy, student protests, NUL, Lesotho politics, mobilization model, tertiary students, policy-making, socio-economic status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The study examines the level of political participation among tertiary students at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) to understand how these youth interact with the national political arena.
What are the central themes of the study?
The core themes include youth unemployment, the effectiveness of various political participation modes (voting, activism, partisanship), and the role of tertiary education in shaping political awareness.
What is the research's main objective?
The main objective is to identify the intensity of political involvement among NUL students and determine which modes of participation are most favored by this specific youth demographic.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The author used a descriptive research design, employing simple random sampling to survey 15 respondents via semi-structured questionnaires and supplemented the data with qualitative observations.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part covers the historical background of student politics at NUL, current participation levels, reasons for political avoidance or engagement, and the correlation between demographic factors and political behavior.
What are the key characteristics of this research?
The study is characterized by its empirical assessment of NUL student behavior, its theoretical grounding in the mobilization model, and its focus on the transition from student activism to political representation.
How does NUL youth political activity compare to traditional voting?
The study suggests that while NUL students show lower levels of formal partisan affiliation and traditional voting, they demonstrate high levels of "political activism" through protests and the consumption of political party products.
What impact does university-level education have on political participation according to the findings?
The research indicates that education generally fosters political interest and awareness; however, at NUL, internal regulations and lack of clear political opportunities have led to a somewhat apolitical atmosphere compared to regional counterparts.
Why do many NUL students choose to avoid conventional political participation?
Respondents cited reasons such as the perception that politics is "dirty" or for the elderly, a lack of incentives in political mandates, and the potential risks associated with political affiliation in a volatile environment.
- Quote paper
- Moeketsi Kali (Author), 2014, Assessment level of political participation among youth. The case of the National University of Lesotho, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/945738
