Final answer:
To investigate the factors influencing youth participation in politics in Malaysia, researchers could use a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative methods like surveys with qualitative methods like interviews and focus groups. This approach would help to uncover demographic influences as well as individual attitudes toward politics and participation in different types of elections. Tailoring these methods to the Malaysian context would provide detailed insights and inform policy recommendations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research Methodology for Studying Youth Participation in Politics
To investigate the factors that influence youth participation in politics in Malaysia, empirical political scientists may adopt a mixed-methods approach. This involves both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies which could include surveys, interviews, focus groups, and statistical analysis of existing data. For instance, utilizing surveys, such as those conducted by CIRCLE or the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, could provide a wide range of quantitative data on demographic factors like age, sex, ethnicity, education, and their relationship to political engagement.
Qualitative data could be collected through interviews and focus groups to gain in-depth insights into personal attitudes toward politics including political efficacy, voter fatigue, and perceived duties of citizenship. These methods might also explore responses to statements like "I am interested in local politics," and "It is my duty as a citizen to always vote," which previous Pew Research Center studies have linked to a higher likelihood of voting. Additionally, examining differences between national and local election participation could shed light on contextual factors driving engagement.
In the Malaysian context specifically, such methods would be tailored to the cultural, political, and social landscape of the country to accurately measure youth participation. Moreover, policy proposals could be issued based on findings to enhance participation rates and overcome barriers to political engagement identified through the research.