TY - JOUR
T1 - Online petitions in Australia
T2 - Information, opportunity and gender
AU - Sheppard, Jill
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Australian Political Studies Association.
PY - 2015/7/3
Y1 - 2015/7/3
N2 - This article compares offline and online petition signing in Australia, to examine whether online forms of political activity can mobilise citizens who would otherwise not participate. Using data from the 2010 Australian Election Study and a model of civic voluntarism comprising online and offline resources, the article presents several unexpected findings. First, women are significantly more likely than men to sign both written and e-petitions, and this will likely continue with the increasing circulation of e-petitions and corresponding decline in written petitions. Second, Australians from a non-English-speaking background are underrepresented in the signing of written petitions but not of e-petitions. Civic skills gained in the workplace and voluntary organisations positively predict both forms of petition signing, but language, gender and income do not constitute barriers to the signing of e-petitions. This article contributes to emerging evidence the internet can mobilise traditionally underrepresented groups to participate in political activity.
AB - This article compares offline and online petition signing in Australia, to examine whether online forms of political activity can mobilise citizens who would otherwise not participate. Using data from the 2010 Australian Election Study and a model of civic voluntarism comprising online and offline resources, the article presents several unexpected findings. First, women are significantly more likely than men to sign both written and e-petitions, and this will likely continue with the increasing circulation of e-petitions and corresponding decline in written petitions. Second, Australians from a non-English-speaking background are underrepresented in the signing of written petitions but not of e-petitions. Civic skills gained in the workplace and voluntary organisations positively predict both forms of petition signing, but language, gender and income do not constitute barriers to the signing of e-petitions. This article contributes to emerging evidence the internet can mobilise traditionally underrepresented groups to participate in political activity.
KW - Australia
KW - gender
KW - participation
KW - petitions
KW - the internet
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84943454684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10361146.2015.1049512
DO - 10.1080/10361146.2015.1049512
M3 - Article
SN - 1036-1146
VL - 50
SP - 480
EP - 495
JO - Australian Journal of Political Science
JF - Australian Journal of Political Science
IS - 3
ER -