Political education and socialization: A comparative perspective at two Afrikaans universities

That universities in western societies have a limited impact on the political socialization process has been pointed out time and again by generations of political scientists. It has become increasingly clear that the influence of formal classroom learning on the political attitudes of students is limited. On the other hand, values held by respected members of the university community (or what can be called the university political culture) have been shown to have a substantial effect on the political Weltanschauung of students. Recent research concerning political socialization on two Afrikaans-language campuses in South Africa is discussed. The research reflects to a large extent the findings of mainstream political science, although certain university courses seemed to have left a definite impression on the political attitudes of students at Afrikaans universities. After sketching the extent of the socialization process at these universities, the impact of societal factors on the university environment in the Afrikaans community is discussed. More specifically, it is concluded that the isolated nature of Afrikaner political culture largely determines the political environment of the universities mainly attended by members of this group.