Abstract
This chapter examines a wide range of macro factors including: the broad patterns of political and civic engagement that occur among adults within a country; the historical, cultural, economic, institutional and legal characteristics of a country; public policies on young people’s active citizenship. It describes the legally specified minimum age for voting; the provision of youth organisations. One macro factor that obviously affects youth political participation is the legally specified minimum age of voting within the country in which young people live. The participatory culture of adults may well mediate the effects of macro factors on youth civic and political engagement. The structure of political institutions within a country shapes the particular forms of non-electoral political participation that are used by adults. Many different policies and institutional arrangements on migrant integration, naturalisation and the education of migrant youth can have significant effects on the civic and political activity of migrant youth.