The level of political participation among university students in the Kurdistan Region - Iraq

Abstract

The current research aims to identify the level of political participation among university students in the Kurdistan Region - Iraq and the differences in the level of political participation according to the gender of students and the governorate. The researcher relied on the descriptive analytical approach to achieve the research. The research community consisted of students of government universities in three governorates of the region (Salah al-Din, Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk). The researcher drew a random sample from them using the equal random stratified method, the size of which was (720) male and female students, (240) from each university. The researcher prepared a political participation scale based on previous studies and scales. The researcher adapted the scale to the research community and verified its properties of validity and reliability. The scale was applied to the basic research sample. The research results showed a general decrease in the level of political participation among students, and that males are more politically involved, while political participation decreases statistically significantly in Sulaymaniyah Governorate. The researcher presented some recommendations and suggestions based on the research results.

Emphasizing students’ psychological needs, such as immediate social reassurance and reducing their future anxiety, which in turn reduces their sensitivity to justice and their sense of victimhood. The researcher recommends that the media should not exaggerate negative news and treat it as a profit-making material, as it exaggerates the observer’s sensitivity to cases of injustice among students in particular and youth in general. Focusing civil society organizations on activating national activities that give a Kurdish identity to youth in general and university students in particular.