Political engagement of the young generation is needed for a democratic country, including Indonesia. However, political engagement has psychological challenges for the younger generation. This study aimed to determine the political engagement level of the young generation and some factors that influence it. The research was designed with mixed methods. The political engagement scale (16 items; α =0.862) was administered with an open-ended questionnaire to 600 students. Interviews to deepen the answers to the questionnaire were conducted with 6 participants (3 male, and 3 female). The results indicate that the political engagement of the young generation, especially college students, is in the high category. Factors that influence political engagement include personal factors (motivation to contribute and personal interest), national condition factors (perception of the nation's condition and perceived influence), information access factors, and social-environmental factors. This finding complements previous research, that personal factors are the most powerful in influencing student political involvement. The research has implications for government institutions, education, political parties, and families in influencing the political engagement of the younger generation with effective strategies.

This study aimed to construct the form of political engagement and examine the differences in any political engagement in Generation Z based on age, gender, and scientific field. This study involved 600 Generation Z (300 male, 300 female) who were studying at Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia. This study uses a mixed method consisting of qualitative grounded theory and quantitative comparison. Data collection uses open-ended questions, in depth interview, and a political engagement scale (16 items; = 0.862). The results show that the form of political engagement of Generation Z includes the cognitive type such as understanding and analyzing political conditions, and the behavior type such as voting, expressing opinions, and habituating socio-political values in daily life as good citizens. Forms of political involvement vary from individual to collective. Generation Z’s political perception cannot be separated from the results of social construction by online media and significant others. There are differences in the political engagement of Generation Z on age and scientific field. However, there is no difference in political engagement related to gender. This research has implications for the urgency of the functioning of social systems that ensure the exposure of reliable information and provide space for expression for Generation Z to be involved in the political arena.