ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the reader with a clearer picture of the patterns of participation in Britain today. It explores this data in detail and considers both the implications and limitations of the available literature. The chapter demonstrates that political participation remains a minority preference in Britain, with the most well-resourced socio-demographic groups tending to take the most prominent role in political life. Given that voluntary political participation is beset by inequalities of influence, it becomes particularly important to develop a clear understanding of the nature of 'activism'. Whilst the existing literature provides a number of valuable insights into the composition of political participation, it tends to interpret the concept of activism in rather narrow terms as the amount and frequency of participation undertaken by citizens. Finally, the chapter argues that there is consequently considerable scope for developing analysis that is more sensitive to the qualitative dimensions of political participation.
