Students ignore sex and politics

Research claims that few students are interested in politics

Students are more likely to be worried about their work than sex, claims a survey.

And, at the beginning of the university year, another report claims that today's students have little interest in becoming involved in politics.

But even if students are not interested in political parties, there was evidence that they were interested in partying - with over 40% of second year students saying they spent over £200 on parties during their "freshers' week".

Many students are unaffected politically by higher education and those who are gravitate towards the centre ground. The university is no longer a seedbed of radicalism

Nick Crossley, University of Manchester

The survey of student attitudes, carried out for a student website, found that 30% were worried about missing lectures, while only 8% were worried about their sex lives.

This view of students as an increasingly moderate group of young people, more interested in their careers than politics, has been reinforced by research from the University of Manchester.

Nick Crossley, a sociology lecturer, says that there is little interest in politics among undergraduates or sixth formers, according to his research among young people in the Manchester area.

Writing in The Times Higher Education Supplement, Mr Crossly said: "Only 39% in all claimed to be interested in politics and the figures for membership of political groups and involvement in political activities was lower still."

Among young people who are interested in politics, Mr Crossley reports that they are likely to become less rather than more radical as they switch from sixth form to university.

"Many students are unaffected politically by higher education and those who are gravitate towards the centre ground. The university is no longer a seedbed of radicalism," writes Mr Crossley.