Poised to act: Profiles of fifteen young activists

Academically and artistically talented youngsters have been much studied, while little focus has been directed to understanding young activists. Such socially active youth, unusually committed to community service and social action, are identified globally through awards and locally by schools or newspapers. These young people care about causes and concerns, many of which concern us as well. However, these young people somehow see these problems as their own, and act accordingly. In this dissertation I ask: What qualities contribute to a clear pattern of moral action in a young person? What are the elements of exemplary moral action?;In this empirical study I look at a group of 15 young activists, ages 13--20. I draw on qualitative interviews, Q-sort data and tests of moral reasoning to develop profiles of these young activists. I argue that youth activism is not an accident. To understand youth activism I propose a framework that emphasizes the importance of an instigating element that stimulates action, a serving orientation that directs response, and a sustaining element that helps explain how a pattern of actions endures. This framework stresses the importance of early influences and traits related to service, including triggering experiences, influential relationships, religious and secular beliefs, and qualities of the individual.;Finally, this study reveals that these young activists share many traits with adult activists and moral exemplars who demonstrate a lifetime of social commitment. For example, both younger and older activists share a history of triggering experiences, influential early relationships and personal traits like optimism and perseverance. In addition, I highlight four other findings: the importance of parents, the importance of adults outside the home, the prevalence and impact of single parents and single mothers, and the benefits of social action on youth.