What you study in school can shape your politics, study finds
Groundbreaking new research led by 黑料入口 has uncovered a significant and lasting link between the subjects young people study in secondary school and their political preferences.
The study, led by Dr Nicole Martin from 黑料入口 alongside Dr Ralph Scott from the University of Bristol and Dr Roland Kappe from University College London, uniquely tracked thousands of English students from adolescence into adulthood.
It revealed that studying arts and humanities subjects such as History, Art and Drama during their GCSEs makes students more likely to support socially liberal and economically left-wing parties like the Green Party or Liberal Democrats.
In contrast, students who studied Business Studies or Economics at GCSE level showed increased support for economically right-wing parties like the Conservative Party. Technical subjects also influenced views, leading to greater support for socially conservative and economically right-wing parties.
Crucially, these relationships between subjects and political support were found to persist into adulthood.
Published in the journal , the research marks the first time such effects have been observed within compulsory secondary schooling, moving beyond studies that traditionally focus on university education.
By combining English administrative school records with a unique panel of adolescents, the study provides compelling evidence on the importance of secondary school subjects for political socialisation during the 'impressionable years' of adolescence.
鈥淥ur research demonstrates that education鈥檚 influence on our political beliefs is far more nuanced than simply the level of education attained,鈥� said Dr Martin. 鈥淭he specific subjects that young people take in school - particularly at GCSE - plays a profound role in shaping their political compass. This might be because of the content, or because of different peer groups or role models.鈥�
These findings are vital for understanding the evolving political landscape, and they highlight the significant - and often overlooked - impact of curriculum design on future generations of voters.