Ready for membership? Voices from the 2014 Australian Quaker Survey
Journal article
Williams, Peter and Thomson, Lorraine. (2018). Ready for membership? Voices from the 2014 Australian Quaker Survey. Quaker Studies. 23(1), pp. 83-107. https://doi.org/10.3828/quaker.2018.23.1.6
Authors | Williams, Peter and Thomson, Lorraine |
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Abstract | The 2014 national survey of Australian Quakers included two questions about application for Membership, with responses from 250 Members and 89 Attenders. This article summarises these views into 54 topics and 14 key themes, considers them in relation to various sociological perspectives and compares the results to those from previous surveys in Britain and the USA. The most common reasons for Membership application were feelings of belonging and wanting to commit, to make a public declaration, and a desire to take on responsibilities and contribute. The reasons Attenders did not apply included the belief that it was unnecessary, an inability to attend Meetings regularly, concerns about some Quaker processes – including the Member/Attender distinction – and an unwillingness to commit more time and support. Further education about the expectations for Membership and more personal invitations may assist in reducing the current decline in the ratio of Members to Attenders in Meetings in Australia and Britain. |
Keywords | membership; attenders; Australia; Quakers; commitment; belonging |
Year | 2018 |
Journal | Quaker Studies |
Journal citation | 23 (1), pp. 83-107 |
Publisher | Liverpool University Press |
ISSN | 1363-013X |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.3828/quaker.2018.23.1.6 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85151837794 |
Open access | Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access |
Page range | 83-107 |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 06 Jan 2018 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 07 Jul 2023 |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8z402/ready-for-membership-voices-from-the-2014-australian-quaker-survey
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Publisher's version
OA_Williams_2018_Ready_for_membership_Voices_from_the.pdf | |
License: CC BY 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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