Political Science
Pick two of the forms of conventional and unconventional participation listed in the Political Participation Online PowerPoint presentation. How effective do you think those two are in enabling citizens to influence government and public policy (laws)? Which of all the types of political participation do you think is most likely to succeed in affecting public policy and why?
CONVENTIONAL PARTICIPATION
Conventional participation is using means provided or approved of by government
- Voting
- Writing representatives
- Commenting at hearings and meetings
- Partisan politics - trying to get certain candidates elected
- Running for office
- Peaceful protest
• Some cities require protests to be held in "free speech zones° which are out of public view making protests less effective
Unconventional participation is means government opposes or disapproves of
- Non-peaceful protest
- Civil disobedience
• Breaking laws you think are unjust
- Martin Luther lOnd and civil nghts protesters
- Boycott
• Usually against businesses but can work against government
- Violence
- Terrorism - unacceptable but is participation.