The Role of Crowdfunding in Political Mobilization and Extremism in Canada

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6238440
AutoresClaire Wilson (0000-0003-1054-4928, Simon Fraser University, autor de correspondencia), Jeremy Snyder (0000-0002-8236-2923, Simon Fraser University)
Año2025
Páginas1-17
Fecha de publicación2025-09-05
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCanadian Journal of Political Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0008-4239 • E-ISSN: 1744-9324
EditorialCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0008423925100413
OpenAlexW4414019092
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas24

In 2022, an anti-vaccine mandate protest in Canada received millions of dollars in support through online crowdfunding. This event catalyzed political crowdfunding in Canada by demonstrating its ability to disseminate ideological discourse and mobilize collective action. Given its newfound visibility and impact, this study examines the landscape of political crowdfunding in Canada. We examined 60 campaigns from the legal, current events and political categories on the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo and classified campaigns into: COVID-19-related topics, alternative media and free speech, climate change skepticism, and other political campaigns. Thematic analysis of the interactive discourse between campaign hosts and donors revealed that many campaigns were motivated by defending individual rights and freedoms amidst perceived government overreach, which fuels a distrust towards authority, including the government and mainstream media. Our study suggests that political crowdfunding empowers individuals to symbolically reflect their political and ideological beliefs through financial donations

Mobilization · Political economy · Political mobilization · Political science · Politics · Sociology · FinTech, Crowdfunding, Digital Finance · Law · Microfinance and Financial Inclusion · Social Media and Politics