The Values of Australian Student Activists

Ellerman, Denny; Feather, N. T.

doi:10.1177/000494417602000302

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(30 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…6For example, in an Australian study (Ellerman, 1975), student activists and a control group of students attributed equal importance to collectivist values. However, this overall interests comparison obscures the fact that the activists ranked restrictive conformity and security values less important, and they ranked prosocial values more important.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a theory of the universal content and structure of values: Extensions and cross-cultural replications.

Schwartz

Bilsky²

1990

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

1,722

915

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The universality of Schwartz and Bilsky's (1987) theory of the psychological content and structure of human values was examined with data from Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, Spain, and the United States. Smallest space analyses of the importance ratings that individuals assigned to values revealed the same 7 distinct motivational types of values in each sample as had emerged earlier in samples from Germany and Israel: achievement, enjoyment, maturity, prosocial, restrictive conformity, security, self-direction. Social power, studied only in Hong Kong, also emerged. The structural relations among the value types suggest that the motivational dynamics underlying people's value priorities are similar across the societies studied, with an exception in Hong Kong. The interests that values serve (individual vs. collective) and their goal type {instrumental vs. terminal) also distinguish values in all samples.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a theory of the universal content and structure of values: Extensions and cross-cultural replications.

Schwartz

Bilsky²

1990

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

1,722

915

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Quite often, these norms and values are somewhat idealised and exaggerated by young people. Ellerman and Feather (1976) have shown that activists ranked the following values higher in relative importance than non-activists: a world at peace, a world of beauty, equality, freedom, courage, helpfulness, imagination, and love. Laslett (1978) has also noted the emergence of themes such as ecology and women's rights from student demonstrations.…”

Section: The Theme Of Sincerity and Integritymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflections on managing student protest

Fako

Molamu

1995

South African Journal of Sociology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper addresses problems associated with effective management of student protest in African universities. The fundamental concerns around which student protests and demonstrations have arisen are discussed. Types of official response are outlined and the influence of the protests on political events is assessed. The paper also discusses how the university environment contributes to student activism; the relationship between the students and the establishment; and the logic behind official response to student demonstrations. It is argued that demonstrations are largely spontaneous and do not usually represent a permanent problem. They should be understood within a broader framework of democracy. Student affairs should be handled within the university through administrative structures designed to facilitate the regular expression of grievances. Students should have adequate representation in decision-making bodies of universities; and progressive policies regarding counselling and recreation should be developed.Oorsig oor die beheer van studentebetogings. Hierdie artikel spreek probleme aan rakende die effektiewe bantering van studenteprotes aan universiteite in Afrika. Die fundamentele probleme wat studenteprotes en -betogings veroorsaak, word bespreek. lipes amptelike reaksie word uiteengesit en die invloed van protes op politieke gebeure word ge~valueer. Verder gee die artikel aandag aan hoe die universiteitsomgewing tot studente-aktivisme hydra; die verhouding tussen studente en die "establishment"; en die logika agter amptelike reaksie op studentebetogings. Die argument is dat betogings grootliks spontaan is en gewoonlik nie 'n permanente probleem verteenwoordig nie. Sulke betogings moet binne 'n bre~r raamwerk van demokrasie verstaan word. Studente-aangeleenthede moet binne die universiteit deur adrninistratiewe strukture hanteer word wat ontwerp is om die gereelde uiting van griewe te vergemaklik. Studente moet genoegsame verteenwoordiging op besluitnemingsliggame van universiteite he, en progressiewe beleidsrigtings ten opsigte van voorligting en ontspanning moet ontwikkel word.

show abstract

“…described in full in Ellerman and Feather (1976). Activists were more radical in their attitudes than their non-activist contemporaries on a wide range of issues, belonged to more radical political organisations, and had participated in more demonstrations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Student activists 12 years later political and personal career paths

Ellerman¹

1988

Australian Journal of Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim of this study was to determine the extent of continuation of radical commitment amongst former student activists. Twelve years after being originally surveyed. male activists and a comparison group of non-activists were followed up by a mailed survey. Questionnaires from 73 activists and 86 non-activists were returned. Activists were shown to hold jobs with lower status and to have lower levels of educational attainment than the non-activist controls. Activists'intercst and participation in politid and d kues showed considerabk decline from the time of the first survey. though they were still marginally more active than the controls. Other measures ILosesscd the perceived interest and participation of family members and peers in political h u e s and their support for the respondents'ideas and participation and semantic differentid ratings for Furher, Mother, and YowseF Results were compared to those of previous studies and implications for several models of social movement participation discussed.The 19605 and early 1970s were turbulent yean in most western democracies as students engaged in unprecedented prate over issues such as race relations, the war in Vietnam, conscription for military service and university policies. Being on the doorstep of academic sociologists and psychologists, student activism received considerable research attention. Keniston (1973). for cxampk, abstracted 303 American empirical studies for the years 1945 to 1972. Much of this research was atheoretical, being more directed at confirming or denying the popular stereotype of activists as "radical ratbags".The actual picture which emerged from much of the ruearch was quite different. Activists, at least in the early years of the movement (Mankoff & Flacks, 1971). appeared to be a rather elite group. They bad higher levels of academic achievement than their non-activist peen and were more often studyhgsocial science or arts than science or the professions. Their parents tended to be more f l u e n t than most students', but there was little evidence of revolt or rebellion in their background. Flacks (1967) described them as being from the middle-class humanist subculture, characterised by ademocratic family atmosphere, high levels of discussion on social and political issues anda lack of conventional religious commitment As far as their personal characteristics were concerned. evidence indicated they had good personal adjustment, higher levels of moral development, sclfcstnm and internal locus of control, but lower levels of dogmatism.There were few studies of comparable student activists in Australia, so similarities and differences with findings of U.S. research cannot be fully d d b e d . Results This rcsearch was funded by ARGS grant A2801 16077. A previous report based on early survey returns was prrscnted at the 11th Annual Conference of Australian Social Psychologists, B r i s k I982 Rquats for reprints should be sent to D. A. Elkrman, khavioural Science Programme, Darling Downs Institute of A d v a n d Education, Toowoom...

show abstract

The Values of Australian Student Activists

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Toward a theory of the universal content and structure of values: Extensions and cross-cultural replications.

Toward a theory of the universal content and structure of values: Extensions and cross-cultural replications.

Reflections on managing student protest

Student activists 12 years later political and personal career paths

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About