The Political Socialization Paper is designed for you to reflect on how you formed your opinions and what the influences are on your opinions. After reviewing the resources for this activity, analyze one candidate and one issue and determine where your political affiliations lie and how you achieved them.

Resources: Read and review the following resources for this activity: Chapters 1, 6 (review)

Complete the following to make writing your paper easier:

• Make a short outline on who are your greatest personal influences and why.
• Make a short outline on what institutions (school, church, political party, etc.) are influential to you and why.

Complete the following in your paper:

• Use your outline of personal influences and institutions and describe their importance to your political socialization.
• Take a candidate from a recent election and discuss why or why not you supported him or her (local, state or national candidate).
• Take an issue (local, state or national) and discuss why or why not you support it.
• Reflect on how your personal and institutional influences affected your decision.
• Draw upon your paper to form conclusions and opinions and back these up.
• Length: 3 – 4 pages, so you need to carefully choose your words and be concise.