Activist Nation: Australia and the 1916 Conscription Referendum

Australia’s bitterly fought conscription debates that erupted during the First World War present a unique historical perspective of activism and its relationship with public relations. Practised by individuals and organizations across the political spectrum and across different professions, the activist campaigns of 1916 offer an opportunity to reconsider the historical relationship between activism and public relations, as well as its broader impact on national issues. This chapter uses a critical approach to examine the activities and strategies deployed by pro-conscription and anti-conscription activists in the lead up to the 1916 referendum. By revisiting these actions from this perspective, this chapter demonstrates the need to recast activism as essential part of PR history as well as the contribution that activism has made to broader democratic processes.