Is politics useful?

By ITS Education Asia

That’s a bit of a broad question but an interesting article in The Conversation based on the US-based Pew Research Center suggests students who engage in politics such as blogging, attending certain marches and turning out to vote, end up being more tolerant and engaged in public debate. In the long-term this suggests potential benefits to societies such as stability and co-operation. But of course every country has its own approach to both what the political system is, who runs it and how or even if it might change. All these elements raise questions as well for international students who may grow up in and return to one place which is very different in terms of its political culture from the place where they study.