Campaigning for culture online An analysis of trending culture-related petitions on Facebook

Adopting a grassroots perspective, this chapter examines discussions surrounding online petitions circulated on Facebook to gain insight into how citizens in nine European countries understand and prioritise cultural issues. Studying petitions aligns with a bottom-up approach, as they reflect initiatives by citizens and their expectations regarding cultural offerings in their countries. Leveraging literature on online engagement, platformisation, and petitioning, the authors explore the thematic spectrum of petition topics, the platforms utilised, and the potential impacts of petitions. They employ digital methods and topic modelling to examine Facebook posts about online petitions related to culture between 2018 and 2022. The findings highlight prevalent themes in the most discussed cultural issues on Facebook through online petitions across Europe, including social equality, human rights, and national/international rifts. The analysis extends to probing the significance of online petitions in shaping cultural policies. The authors contend that beyond their direct influence on policy formulation, these petitions offer valuable insights into citizens’ cultural viewpoints, interests, values, and broader societal concerns. Furthermore, the chapter contributes to scholarship on the efficacy of petitions by outlining diverse avenues through which petitions can exert influence.