International Political Efficacy Matters: A Dual-Pathway Model of Taiwanese Singing E-Petitions to Foreign Governments

Abstract

Signing e-petitions to foreign authorities received little attention from scholars due to the constraint of the relationship between citizenship and sovereignty. Yet, Taiwanese people constantly attempt to create and sign e-petitions to other authorities, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. The current study aims to examine this phenomenon and proposes a new concept namely international political efficacy to explain their behavior. Expanded from political efficacy, international political efficacy refers to individuals’ perception of their knowledge and experience about international affairs and issues. Meanwhile, the current study develops a dual-pathway model which comprises of rational and emotional routes as the theoretical framework. Through a survey, the findings confirm that emotional route failed to shape the e-petition signing intention, whereas rational and collective action concerns dominated the process. International political efficacy was confirmed valid through empirical data, and it can contribute to the theory development.