Theories from the streets: understanding canvassing’s impact on political, social, and civic engagement of canvassers

This mixed-methods research explores how the experience of canvassing impacts a canvasser's political, social, and civic engagement. It gives a discussion of motivations for canvassing, canvass office experiences, reasons for retention and termination, and predictions for former canvassers levels of engagement. Methods used include a national web-based survey, an ethnography and an autoethnography. The sample includes both canvassers who are currently employed and canvass staff who have quit. My findings suggest that canvassers are likely to predict engagement beyond the canvass in political, social, or civic work. Furthermore, findings also indicate that there is a positive relationship between time canvassed and level of engagement. As the duration of canvass employment increased, so did a level of predicted engagement. While female canvass staff were more likely to burnout in a canvass environment, this study suggests gender did not play a role in predicting future engagement. Limitations of this research include a small sample size, and there is a need for further research to examine if the relationships in this study are conclusive.