Background
Classical studies on political socialization show a strong intergenerational transmission of political values between parents and children: Parents transmit values to their offspring via both nature and nurture.
Millennials (born between 1982 and 1996) in Western countries are much more disconnected from formal politics than their parents. They also have distinct political leanings from their parents: they tend to be more liberal, have higher education levels, adopt a more global perspective on politics, and place less emphasis on religion.
The family structures, social milieu, and individual lifestyles of millennials also deviate significantly from those of their parents and may affect their political value formation. While Finnish millennials themselves have often socialised into politics in traditional heteronormative two-parent nuclear families, their own family structures have become much more diverse.
Low fertility, voluntary childlessness, postponed parenthood, divorce, remarriage, post-divorce families, blended families, single parenthood, and joint custody, as well as the increasing number of non-heteronormative families have all contributed to rising postmodern family diversity, and single-person households are becoming increasingly common.
Furthermore, the rise in migration has increased the prevalence of intercultural families, which often span national borders. In these families, parent-child value transmission may be uniquely influenced by the fact that parents and children are socialized into politics in different cultural contexts.
Goal
DISCO challenges classical theories on political value transmission in families by developing and testing a theoretical model of postmodern intergenerational value transmission. This model takes into account recent changes in political cleavages, parenting styles, family structures, and the growing ethnic diversity within Finnish society.
DISCO collects both quantitative and qualitative data among millennials and their parents — both of Finnish and foreign origin. We seek to explore:
- whether millennials and their parents attach identical or similar meanings to established political cleavages and political identities in contemporary Finland;
- how the political engagement of parents, modern parenting styles, and gender affect value congruence in families;
- how value transmission in migrant families deviates from that in native Finnish families.
Impact
The stability of democracies hinges on the political socialization of their future members. Gaining insights into intergenerational transmissions of political values is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of political change over time. This knowledge helps to predict how societies will evolve as younger generations age and eventually replace their elders.
Funding
From 2024 to 2027, DISCO is funded by the Kone Foundation and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
Partners and co-operators
DISCO is conducted by researchers from Tampere University, the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, and the Migration Institute of Finland.
Additionally, DISCO collaborates with researchers from the University of Amsterdam.