Date of Award
1-1-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Social Welfare
First Advisor
Younghee Lim
Second Advisor
Saijun Zhang
Third Advisor
Desiree Stepteau-Watson
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Systemic racism inhibits African Americans’ civic and political participation, yet the scholarship on this topic is scarce and examines Black behavior as homogenous. This study utilizes Putnam’s social capital theory and Elazar’s state political culture typology to identify social and regional distinctions in African American civic and political behavior. Both social capital and state political culture have been linked to civic and political participation, however, not much is known about how these two constructs specifically influence African American civic and political behavior. Utilizing data from the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, this study conducts five logistic regression models to examine the effects of state political culture on African Americans’ bonding and bridging social capital, civic participation, non-traditional political participation, and traditional political participation. Because the current literature suggests that social capital may mediate state political culture’s effect on civic and political participation, three parallel mediator models are also conducted. All U.S. southern states have a traditionalistic political culture, but contrary to past observations, African Americans residing in traditionalistic states are now less likely to participate in non-traditional political activities (i.e., protests, boycotts, etc.) compared to those residing in moralistic and individualistic states. Additionally, this study finds evidence that bonding and bridging social capital can serve as mediators. First, African Americans residing in moralistic states have a higher likelihood of participating in non-traditional political activities than those residing in individualistic states because they cultivate greater bridging social capital. Second, African Americans residing in individualistic states have a higher likelihood of participating in civic activities than those residing in moralistic states because they cultivate less bridging social capital. Additionally, this study finds that bonding and bridging social capital have a positive direct effect on the civic participation of African Americans residing in moralistic, traditionalistic, and individualistic states. Ultimately, this study offers insight into a geographical region’s impact on African American social capital and civic and political participation, suggesting that social work methods used to promote civic and political participation should consider the culture of specific populations.
Recommended Citation
Conner, Austin Marie, "Social Capital: The Link Between State Political Culture and Civic and Political Participation" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2928.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2928