Foreign students' political attitudes

Non-U.S. students in Dr. Gabriel Bach’s government classes were polled in February 2004 about their political preferences in the November 2004 general elections.

Studies on non-resident alien/foreign-national students’ political attitudes have been rather sketchy. As such, this one is only exploratory.

The assumptions that were made are twofold:
a) Based on foreign countries’ public opinion polls and leaders’ attitudes toward current American policy, foreign students will trust more the Democratic Party and would rather vote for a Democratic presidential candidate.
b) Religion, gender and age are additional factors in foreign students’ political decision-making.

Sample Profile
Forty-six, or 25 percent of the 187 students (2.3 percent of the campus student population) polled, are non-U.S. citizens. These students represent 9 percent of the total non-U.S. student population at North Lake College. Of the 46, 18 are female and 28 are male students. Nineteen are 20 years old and younger; seventeen are between 21 and 25, five between 26 and 30, and five above 31 years of age.

Political Preferences
Of the 18 female students, four trust the Republican Party with the nation’s problems, yet only one out of 18 trusts President Bush. Seven would vote, if they could legally, for the Democratic candidate.

Of the 28 male students, 22 trust the Democratic Party, four out of 28 trusts the President. Sixteen would vote for the Democratic candidate, only one for President Bush.

This group strongly prefers the Democratic Party and the democratic candidate in the 2004 general elections.

Religion
Religion is a very important individual decision-making factor in most foreign countries, although it, too, is becoming one in the United States, especially in politics.

Of the 46 students, 19 are Protestant, eight Catholic, nine Muslim, two Hindu, two Buddhist, and five either atheist or have no religion.

Of the 19 Protestants, 12 prefer the Democratic candidate.

The eight Catholics support the Democratic Party, but two would vote for the President.

The nine Muslims are the only one group who, in its entirety, does not trust the President with the nation‘s problems. Five would vote for the Democrat, only one for President Bush.

Political attitudes of the Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists/no religion answers tend to favor, in their majority, the Democratic Party and the Democratic presidential candidate.

Those who trust the President are in their majority male (90 percent), Protestants from Latin America mostly and South Asia. Those who prefer the Democratic candidate are 46 percent female, Protestant, Catholic, and Muslim with a very diverse political and cultural background.

Age
The more consistent age groups are the 26-30 and 31+ age brackets: its majority would vote democrat. The two younger age groups would rather be split-ticket voters.

Assumptions confirmed
Foreign students do not trust the Republican Party and would not vote for the current President in November 2004.

Religion influences attitude: Muslims do not trust the President. Male students in their majority would vote Democratic in November 2004. Age, finally, shows that the older generation tend to vote straight-party ticket.