Low-Cost Alternative Political Participation: Is Political Apathy Among The Post-90s Young Generation Myth or Real?

In the study, it was tried to question the argument that young people are politically more uninterested or apathetic than the previous generations through the sample which represents the post-90s generation, which are studying at higher education level. In this respect, with reference to quantitative and qualitative field data, it was aimed to determine the tendency of young people’s to offline traditional political participation and to new low-cost or easier digital participation opportunities. In addition, the extent to which online participation can substitute traditional forms of participation has been tried to relate to the concepts of political interest, apathy, cynicism and slacktivism. According to the survey data, young people’s political cynicism or low expectation from mainstream political practices distract them from the more costly traditional forms of participation. However, this does not mean they are politically uninterested. As young people maintain their concerns about social problems, they participate in the easiest and least costly voting activity and are turning to digital network-based low-cost participation as a new form of participation that they can easily express themselves and feel strong