Young Voters: Combining survey analysis with Twitter data

Why do young Canadians not vote at high levels in elections? Are young Canadians simply apathetic and disengaged, or are they finding new ways to participate in Canadian democracy? What role do the Internet and social media play in youth political engagement? This project responds to these questions, drawing on an innovative research design that combines responses to a survey directed at young Canadians during the 2015 federal election, and analysis of how 133 of those survey respondents used Twitter as a forum for political participation before, during and after the election. The project will provide the research intern with practical, hands on experience using cutting-edge IBM analytics tools, and the opportunity to spend time on the IBM campus building a research and professional network.

Faculty Supervisor:

Elizabeth Dubois;Amanda Clarke

Student:

Partner:

IBM Canada Ltd

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: