CITIZENSHIP AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

Abstract

Abstract

Citizenship is an essential element of democratic politics and political participation is a political expression and people’s sovereignty that can be expressed in various ways. The objective of this research was to study the degree of citizenship roles and attitudes towards political participation of the Eastern region’s people. The research methodology was mixed method between survey research and qualitative research. Survey research in this research, the sample was the voters in the Eastern region which calculated from random the provincial sampling to be sample provinces using the formula of Taro Yamane. In case of the qualitative research, the researcher interviewed the sample population while collecting quantitative data by relying on the questions in the questionnaire as a guideline for interview, then analyzed the relationship between quantitative and qualitative data.

The results of the research showed that 1) people in the Eastern region showed the low level of citizenship’s roles with a focus on elections while other participation activities were required the economic capital, therefore, the merely election was not suffice for indicating the citizenship. 2) Attitudes towards political participation of the people of the Eastern region as a whole emphasized the highest priority to national and local elections because it was the easiest way to express the citizenship. While there was a moderate level of political discussion. Regarding to appealing or making a formal complaint with government agencies and gathering together, people were rarely do because they did not think that it would work or lead to any changes subsequently.