Dumas, Catherine L., et al. "Examining political mobilization of online communities through e-petitioning behavior in We the People." Big Data & Society 2.2 (2015): 2053951715598170.

This study investigates the co-signing patterns of e-petitions as indicators of political mobilization within online communities, using the "We the People" platform as a case study. Focusing on petitions related to gun control and alternative policies following the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012, the research applies market basket and social network analysis to identify a core group of petitions and four distinct communities of e-petitioners. These groups are mobilized in opposition to changes in gun control policies, aiming to maintain policy stability and equilibrium. The findings draw on Baumgartner and Jones's agenda setting and punctuated equilibrium theory, highlighting how certain events can trigger concentrated policy attention and mobilization efforts.