Australian Government And Politics Comparative Government And Politics

Sheppard, J 2015, 'Online petitions in Australia: Information, opportunity and gender', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. Published Online 09 June 2015. McAllister, I, Sheppard, J & Bean, C 2015, 'Valence and spatial explanations for voting in the 2013 Australian election', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 330-346.

Gender, resources and participation - This study finds that although women traditionally have fewer opportunities in which to participate in political activity, they are disproportionately more likely to have exposure to political petitions and more likely to sign them.  With recent declines in traditional petitions in favour of online or e-petitions, this research looks at the implications for women's political participation and voice. Compulsory voting and political knowledge - Comparing the effects of electoral systems on citizens' factual political knowledge across a range of countries, this ongoing research has found that compulsory voting reduces the gaps in political knowledge between the well-educated and under-educated, particularly where compulsion is complemented by strong enforcement. Compulsory voting and electoral enrolment in Australia - Examining electoral abstainers in Australia, particularly those who abstain by choosing not to join the electoral roll.  Under compulsory voting laws, Australian abstainers are less visible than in comparable democracies.  This research uses aggregate census data to build a profile of non-voters in Australia. Political participation and the internet in Australia (doctoral thesis, awarded 2014) - Exploring the effects of internet use on formal and informal political participation, with emphasis on the socioeconomic profile of participants and nonparticipants.  The thesis draws on Verba, Schlozman and Brady's (1995) civic voluntarism model of participation.  It hypothesises that emerging online resources (i.e. internet access and proficiency) are becoming more important predictors of participation than traditional resources (i.e. time, money and civic skills).