Divergent pathways of classroom and school: Participatory environments for civic capital

Using ICCS 2022 data, this study theorizes how microsystemic classroom and macrosystemic school environments condition the transmission of civic capital from family to adolescent. Employing multilevel interaction modeling, I identify distinct moderating mechanisms shaping civic knowledge, efficacy, and participation. Findings reveal a bifurcated moderation landscape: at the classroom level, an open climate functions as an amplifying moderator, strengthening the link between parental socialization and students’ civic capital. Conversely, a democratic school culture exerts a dual influence, acting as a compensatory leveler for civic knowledge while serving as a catalytic moderator for civic efficacy and participation. By distinguishing between pedagogical openness and institutional democracy, this research advances a “dual-pathway” theory of civic development. Results suggest that while schools can equalize cognitive disparities, participatory environments primarily maximize the mobilization of existing family resources. These findings offer systemic strategies for fostering inclusive engagement and recalibrating education’s role in reducing civic inequality.