ABSTRACT
This study examines the consequences of unemployment on civic participation in Germany. Classical economic theory predicts negative effects of unemployment on civic participation based on the loss of economic resources. Previous empirical findings suggest little effect of economic factors. Therefore, this analysis scrutinises social identity theory, an alternative sociological endeavour that stresses the importance of social roles and identity for shaping civic participation. The empirical analysis disentangles single from cumulative unemployment experiences and tests financial strain and identity conflicts as mechanisms. Germany lends itself to study as an empirical case with a strong and gendered ideal worker norm and income-based social security policies. Multilevel linear probability models using the Socio-Economic Panel from 1996 to 2017 reveal that short-time unemployment has a minor impact, but multiple and longer unemployment spells notably reduce civic engagement. Moreover, three findings corroborate the importance of social identity for shaping involvement in civic life. First, financial strain fails to explain the effects. Second, accumulating unemployment reduces particularly men’s compared with women’s engagement. Third, strong work and family values encourage participation despite long or multiple unemployment experiences.
