Presenting a Model for Measuring Student Citizenship Culture with a Grounded Theory Approach

Abstract

Based on the objective of the present study, which is to identify the factors influencing student citizenship culture and to propose a model for measuring it, this research was conducted using a qualitative approach and the grounded theory method. In terms of research paradigm, the study falls within interpretive inquiries based on grounded theory. The method applied in this research is descriptive and survey-based; from the perspective of purpose, it is developmental–applied. Given the qualitative nature of the research, its credibility was assessed and confirmed through the indicators of fitness and applicability. The statistical population consisted of 15 experts in the fields of social sciences, culture, psychology, educational management, and university cultural activities, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s three-stage coding method (open, axial, and selective). The results of data analysis led to the extraction of 148 open codes, six overarching categories, and one core category. “Student participation and cultural activities” was identified as the core category around which other factors are organized. Biological, social, cultural, psychological, and infrastructural factors were identified as contextual conditions, while cultural rights, cultural intelligence, family interactions, cultural differences, media consumption, and cultural capital were recognized as causal factors. The strategies proposed include identity orientation, ethical orientation, participation and empathy, psychological and social well-being, and creativity. These strategies lead to outcomes such as the promotion of social entrepreneurship, the enhancement of public trust, the strengthening of responsibility, and the reduction of social harms. Ultimately, the final model of the study provides a systematic picture of the causal relationships, contextual conditions, intervening variables, strategies, and outcomes affecting student citizenship culture. This model can serve as a foundation for policymaking, designing university cultural programs, and evaluating the extent to which citizenship culture is realized in academic environments.