Social Contract, Social Construction: Children's Participation in Extra Curricular Activities and its Implications for Public Policy

Abstract

Many policies over the past twenty years have been premised on the assumption that youth participation in extra curricular activities is an effective preventative measure against social ills. Furthermore, proven participation in extra curricular activities is widely used as a gateway to economic stability and success given the role that they play in the college and university admission process, as well as in many entry level employment opportunities. If the creation of opportunities for participation is to be used as a policy lever for social improvement, an effective public policy intervention requires a sufficient understanding of the causal or correlative relationships between social condition and social involvement.