Marginalisation and Engagement: Exploring Political Knowledge and Self-Competence Beliefs in Neglected Areas
Recent research indicates the existence of “places that don’t matter”, where residents often harbour feelings of abandonment, prompting a tilt towards anti-establishment, populist, or nationalist narratives. Yet, the effects of territorial marginalisation extend beyond mere voting behaviour, influencing deeper underlying factors. Utilising data from 9,924 cases in the Valparaíso region of Chile, this study reveals that living in politically marginalised cities correlates with reduced political knowledge and internal political efficacy, even when accounting for relevant sociodemographic and other variables. By focusing on territorial marginalisation, this analysis offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between individual sociodemographic characteristics and political engagement.
With S. Rivera and D. Brieba