Research uncovers insights. - Youths express concern and a sense of helplessness
New research reveals that youth today are anxious about pressing issues like climate change and racism, yet feel disempowered and untrusting of the political establishment's ability to address them. This information stems from the Sinus Youth Study 2024 commissioned by the Federal Center for Political Education, shared at a presentation in Berlin. Despite these concerns, the study shows that 84% of the surveyed 14 to 17-year-olds are content or highly content with their daily routines.
Lead researcher Marc Calmbach found this the most astonishing result: "In the midst of mounting crises, these young people are maintaining their optimism about managing these issues, which is surprising." Thomas Krüger, President of the Federal Center for Political Education, commented, "Given that this generation has only experienced crises throughout their lives, this optimism should not be surprising." It is essentially a conditioned optimism as these young individuals feel that somehow everything will work out eventually.
The Sinus Study, which started in 2008, is not your typical survey with thousands of participants. Rather, it's a qualitative investigation. In this instance, 72 teenagers within the age range of 14 to 17 from diverse educational backgrounds and population groups were extensively interviewed at their homes for several hours, discussing their day-to-day lives, desires, values, and future visions. "The beauty of this study lies in its depth of questioning," said Calmbach. The smaller sample size should not lessen the impact of the results, since it sheds light on the thoughts and feelings of the 3.1 million young individuals within this age group.
Krüger is not sure if the findings relate to the outcome of the European elections in 2024. Calmbach believes that the teenage voters who supported the AfD are exhibiting a flexible behavior, as he claims, "I'm convinced that this will look completely different in two years." The youngsters aren't settled on their right-wing political views; they're merely experimenting with them. However, the mainstream political parties have often caused disappointment in their eyes, stated the head of the Sinus Institute.
