Stabilization of Passive Interaction with Political Culture: A Typological Study of the Undergraduate Students of the Selçuk University

Abstract

Political culture can be considered a significant and decisive component of societies. The political culture of any society is formed based on its cultural values within the context of existing social, economic, and political conditions. This aspect of culture is crucial in helping us understand historical complexities and make political predictions. This study aims to identify the prevalent political culture among undergraduate students in the Faculty of Literature and Economics at Selçuk University. The researchers conducted this study using the third-generation grounded theory method and drawing on Almond and Verba's political culture theory concepts. After conducting face-to-face interviews with 17 students, considering gender diversity, field of study, and political outlook, and extracting 43 subcategories and main categories, they concluded that Turkey's existing cultural and political challenges pave the way for political and economic transformations. Moreover, the government's inefficacy, which participants described as authoritarian and undemocratic, in managing financial issues and political challenges has raised the issue of structural reforms to prevent the gap between the government and the people from widening further. This gap is characterized by declining political trust, reluctance to participate in political processes, and a sense of passivity toward the political system.