Local Civic Engagement in Turbulent Times: Trust in Governance, Managerial Quality, Ethnicity, and Education During Polycrises

In an era defined by global discussions on political change and democratic values, understanding the dynamics of civic engagement in polycrises, when multiple crises erupt and exacerbate each other, is imperative. This study explores the links between trust in central governance, managerial quality in public administration, ethnicity, education, and local civic engagement, particularly among minority groups. We propose a model based on the fairness theory and majority-minority power relations that highlights the direct and indirect relationships between these factors, moderated by ethnicity and education. Utilizing survey data from Israel collected over three years, we find that the managerial quality in public administration has a strong impact on local civic engagement. Additionally, our research reveals that community factors moderate these effects. Thus, we demonstrate that in Israel the minority Arab population has stronger positive perceptions about and trust in central governance than the majority Jewish population. We also show that trust plays a more critical role in civic engagement among individuals with less education.