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Adult Education and Political Participation: Evidence from East German Volkshochschulen

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  • Rupieper, Li Kathrin Kaja

    (Leibniz University Hannover)

  • Thomsen, Stephan

    (Leibniz University Hannover)

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of voluntary, non-formal adult education on political attitudes, participation, and partisanship, exploiting the expansion of courses at East German Volkshochschulen (VHS) after reunification. Combining administrative VHS data with individual survey data and federal election results, we use quasi-random variation in local course availability to identify causal effects in two-way fixed effects models. We find no significant impact on political attitudes and partisanship, suggesting that political socialization and ideologization play limited roles in adult education. Yet, courses significantly affect some forms of political participation, as they increase volunteering and reduce turnout. These effects are not driven by civic education courses. Further participatory behaviors remain unaffected. This variation in effects across participatory behaviors hints to a more complex relationship than commonly assumed: One may only understand the effect of adult education on political participation when understanding its effects on other areas of life as well, given the interplay of the productive and political roles of human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Rupieper, Li Kathrin Kaja & Thomsen, Stephan, 2026. "Adult Education and Political Participation: Evidence from East German Volkshochschulen," IZA Discussion Papers 18729, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18729
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General

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