Beyond the Stereotypes: New Research Reveals Gen Z's Complex Relationship with Democracy

A new study from Protect Democracy and CIRCLE uncovers three distinct profiles of Gen Z’s engagement with democracy, revealing a complex mix of appreciation, detachment, and dissatisfaction. While most young Americans value democratic principles, many lack trust in institutions and doubt democracy's ability to deliver real change—especially those facing socioeconomic barriers. For dialogue practitioners, these insights highlight the importance of tailored, inclusive strategies that build civic skills, address disillusionment, and bridge diverse perspectives. Read more in the blog post below.

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A groundbreaking study from Protect Democracy and CIRCLE offers crucial insights for dialogue practitioners working with young Americans

As dialogue and deliberation practitioners, we often find ourselves wondering: How can we better engage young Americans in democratic processes? A new research report released in March 2025 provides valuable insights that can help inform our work and challenge our assumptions about Generation Z.

The report, "How Does Gen Z Really Feel About Democracy? Insights from Three Profiles of Youth and Democracy," authored by researchers from Protect Democracy and CIRCLE (Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), offers a nuanced portrait of young Americans' attitudes toward democratic principles and institutions. Rather than treating Gen Z as a monolithic group, the study reveals three distinct profiles of youth democratic engagement, each with implications for our dialogue and deliberation work.

Three Distinct Profiles of Democratic Engagement

Based on a nationally representative poll of Americans aged 18-29, the research identifies these profiles:

• Passive Appreciation (63%): The largest group maintains favorable views of democracy, trusts institutions, values democratic principles, and firmly rejects authoritarianism and political violence. However, they tend to be politically disengaged beyond voting, suggesting potential complacency.
• Dismissive Detachment (31%): This group expresses limited value for core democratic principles, demonstrates low confidence in the current system, and shows higher support for authoritarian governance compared to other profiles. Their minimal political participation correlates with lower civic skills and lack of support for civic development. This group is more likely to include BIPOC and queer youth and those with lower educational attainment.
• Hostile Dissatisfaction (7%): The smallest but perhaps most concerning group values democratic principles in theory but is deeply dissatisfied with democracy as they experience it. These young people are the most politically active and express the highest support for political violence. They possess strong civic skills like media literacy but exhibit high levels of polarization. This group skews more liberal and queer.

Key Insights for Dialogue Practitioners

Several findings from this research directly impact our dialogue and deliberation work:

• Democracy's principles remain widely valued: Across all profiles, a strong majority (81%) agree on the importance of free and fair elections. Only about 1 in 10 young Americans express support for political violence as a means to achieve progress.
• Widespread dissatisfaction with current democratic functioning: Only 36% of youth believe U.S. democracy can address the country's challenges, and a mere 16% feel democracy is working well for young people specifically.
• Civic development matters more than identity: The research suggests that access to civic resources, development of civic skills (like media literacy), and institutional trust shape democratic attitudes more significantly than traditional demographic markers or even party affiliation.
• Socioeconomic factors play a crucial role: Educational attainment and income correlate strongly with attitudes toward democracy, with the Dismissive Detachment profile showing lower educational attainment.
• The gap between democratic ideals and perceived reality fuels discontent: Particularly for the Hostile Dissatisfaction group, the disconnect between democratic principles and their lived experience drives frustration and activism.

Implications for Our Work

As dialogue and deliberation practitioners, these findings suggest several approaches:

• Design inclusive processes that address civic skill gaps: Our processes must account for varying levels of civic skills and confidence across different groups of young Americans. For those in the Dismissive Detachment profile, building basic civic skills and demonstrating democracy's tangible benefits may be necessary prerequisites for meaningful engagement.
• Create opportunities that bridge the gap between ideals and reality: For those in the Hostile Dissatisfaction profile, dialogue processes that acknowledge their legitimate critiques while channeling their energy toward constructive change could be particularly valuable.
• Focus on concrete problem-solving: With low confidence in democracy's ability to address challenges, dialogue processes that demonstrate visible outcomes and tangible progress may help rebuild trust.
• Facilitate cross-profile collaboration: Bringing together youth from different profiles could leverage their complementary strengths—the democratic appreciation of Profile 1, the urgency for action from Profile 3—to foster constructive democratic reform.
• Address socioeconomic barriers to participation: Our outreach and design must consciously work to overcome the socioeconomic disparities that influence democratic attitudes and participation.

A Call for Nuanced Engagement

This research challenges us to move beyond simplistic narratives about young Americans' relationship with democracy. It reveals both encouraging findings—strong support for democratic principles and widespread rejection of political violence—and concerning trends, particularly the gap between democratic ideals and perceived reality.

For the dialogue and deliberation community, these insights offer a roadmap for more effective youth engagement. By recognizing the diversity within Generation Z and tailoring our approaches to address the specific needs and perspectives of different profiles, we can help nurture a more vibrant and inclusive democratic culture.
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The full report, "How Does Gen Z Really Feel About Democracy? Insights from Three Profiles of Youth and Democracy," is available from Protect Democracy and CIRCLE.

Read the Full Report