Citizens Adrift reveals – and seeks to remedy – the political disengagement of young Canadians and explains the effect of this malaise on the future of Canadian democracy.

Many political observers, struck by low turnout rates among young voters, are pessimistic about the future of democracy in Canada and other Western nations. Citizens in general are disengaged in politics, and young people in particular are said to be adrift in a sea of apathy. Others have questioned this bleak assessment, arguing that youth engagement has shifted to newer forms of political and community involvement.

In Citizens Adrift, Paul Howe examines past and present patterns of political and civic engagement and concludes that many young Canadians are, in fact, detached from the political realm. Two trends underlie his findings: waning political knowledge and attentiveness and generational changes in the norms and values that help sustain social integration. Putting young people back on the path towards engaged citizenship therefore requires a holistic approach, one which acknowledges that democratic engagement extends beyond the realm of formal politics.

"In his recent book, Citizens Adrift: The Democratic Disengagement of Young Canadians, Paul Howe has managed to do what others have not. He presents a comprehensive and balanced examination of the political (dis)engagement of young Canadians. Howe has avoided the trap of simplistic analyses and conclusions and, instead, offers readers a thorough and considered look at the oft-cited low levels of political interest and participation among Canadian youth. He employs statistical data from a wide variety of sources (including those from Canada, the United States and numerous European countries) and draws upon theories in political science, sociology and psychology in order to approach the subject in a unique way." - Canadian Journal of Political Science (45:2), June 2012