Political Polarization in Australia: A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia

Zhiwen Zheng; Babita Bhatt

doi:10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5

Political Polarization in Australia: A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia

Zhiwen Zheng^*, Babita Bhatt

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The frequency and severity of bushfires have increased in the past decades across the globe. Despite the socio-economic and ecological devastation brought by the bushfires, there is a lack of serious actions preventing the risk of bushfire. We argue that this lack of action results from the political polarisation around the causes and mitigation strategies around the bushfire. Using the case study of 2019–2020 Australian bushfire, we specifically demonstrate the role of social media eco-chambers in reinforcing political affiliations and perpetuating extreme positions. Based on our analysis, we provide practical and theoretical insights on social media-induced political polarisation around climate change.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Causes and Symptoms of Socio-Cultural Polarization
Subtitle of host publication	Role of Information and Communication Technologies
Publisher	Springer Nature
Pages	115-132
Number of pages	18
ISBN (Electronic)	9789811652684
ISBN (Print)	9789811652677
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2022

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5

Cite this

@inbook{22972ee0a7f94118b2e49481c4ec85f7,

title = "Political Polarization in Australia: A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia",

abstract = "The frequency and severity of bushfires have increased in the past decades across the globe. Despite the socio-economic and ecological devastation brought by the bushfires, there is a lack of serious actions preventing the risk of bushfire. We argue that this lack of action results from the political polarisation around the causes and mitigation strategies around the bushfire. Using the case study of 2019–2020 Australian bushfire, we specifically demonstrate the role of social media eco-chambers in reinforcing political affiliations and perpetuating extreme positions. Based on our analysis, we provide practical and theoretical insights on social media-induced political polarisation around climate change.",

keywords = "Bushfire, Climate change, Political polarisation, Social cohesion, Social media",

author = "Zhiwen Zheng and Babita Bhatt",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789811652677",

pages = "115--132",

booktitle = "Causes and Symptoms of Socio-Cultural Polarization",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

address = "Switzerland",

}

TY - CHAP

T1 - Political Polarization in Australia

T2 - A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia

AU - Zheng, Zhiwen

AU - Bhatt, Babita

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

PY - 2022/1/1

Y1 - 2022/1/1

N2 - The frequency and severity of bushfires have increased in the past decades across the globe. Despite the socio-economic and ecological devastation brought by the bushfires, there is a lack of serious actions preventing the risk of bushfire. We argue that this lack of action results from the political polarisation around the causes and mitigation strategies around the bushfire. Using the case study of 2019–2020 Australian bushfire, we specifically demonstrate the role of social media eco-chambers in reinforcing political affiliations and perpetuating extreme positions. Based on our analysis, we provide practical and theoretical insights on social media-induced political polarisation around climate change.

AB - The frequency and severity of bushfires have increased in the past decades across the globe. Despite the socio-economic and ecological devastation brought by the bushfires, there is a lack of serious actions preventing the risk of bushfire. We argue that this lack of action results from the political polarisation around the causes and mitigation strategies around the bushfire. Using the case study of 2019–2020 Australian bushfire, we specifically demonstrate the role of social media eco-chambers in reinforcing political affiliations and perpetuating extreme positions. Based on our analysis, we provide practical and theoretical insights on social media-induced political polarisation around climate change.

KW - Bushfire

KW - Climate change

KW - Political polarisation

KW - Social cohesion

KW - Social media

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85159028527&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5

DO - 10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4_5

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9789811652677

SP - 115

EP - 132

BT - Causes and Symptoms of Socio-Cultural Polarization

PB - Springer Nature

ER -

Political Polarization in Australia: A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this