Community Diversity and Social Media Use in Local Governments

Abstract

Compared to its ubiquity, social media use remains a divisive topic in the public sector. While local governments have increasingly adopted social media to increase civic engagement, many are still hesitant. Among the many factors that may have influenced the adoption of social media in local governance, we argue that community diversity deserves more attention. This study theorizes the relationship between local governments’ use of social media and community diversity. We examine this relationship within the context of township governments, which is an understudied area of research in public administration. The results indicate that community diversity is related to an increase in social media use. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and suggest fruitful avenues of inquiry in public administration social media research.