Doctoral Dissertation Research: Tradeoffs of Economic Mobility and Political Orientation in the Context of Urbanization

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). The rise of urbanization often provides new economic opportunities for young adults. The opportunities for individual advancement may stand in contrast to cultural ideals toward egalitarianism.

The resulting tradeoffs have implications for the political mobilization of middle-class young adults. This dissertation project examines the effects of economic mobility on political settings in the settings characterized by rapid urbanization and relatively high political and economic uncertainty. The investigation examines the determinants of political orientations among middle-class professionals in diverse urban contexts.

Using a complement of anthropological methods, the investigators document the social dimensions of political participation and economic motivations. In addition to providing funding for the training of a graduate student in the methods of empirical, scientific data collection and analysis, findings from the project are shared with policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations to support on initiatives that address economic inequality and conflict prevention.

This doctoral dissertation project examines the forces that push middle-class young professionals towards political participation based on consumption and economic mobility versus political participation driven by concerns for social justice and equality. This project uses participant observation to explore the actions and decisions of young professionals in two types of research sites: sites associated with consumerism, such as shopping malls, and sites associated with activism, such as political organizing meetings.

To complement these methods, semi-structured interviews and direct observations of study participants are conducted to understand the larger networks and social obligations that influence the political orientations of middle-class young professionals. The resulting research findings promote greater understanding of the dynamics and potential impact of middle-class youth on economic development and political priorities.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.