THE AUSTRALIAN MATESHIP SURVEY
Culture or Cringe?
Welcome to the Australian Mateship Survey!
​
Do you use the word mate in conversation? Is it a sacred national value? Is it inclusive and egalitarian or blokey and gendered? We want to know!
​
This Survey is part of a research project supported by Central Queensland University (CQU) and the Australian National University (ANU). It will take around 6 minutes to complete.
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT
‘Mate’ and ‘mateship’ are words with a long history in Australia. They are particularly significant for the nineteenth century bush legend articulated by Russel Ward and the Anzac legend associated with the work of CEW Bean. In both instances, the terms have referred primarily to men. They have since become ubiquitous in Australian vernacular, and even reflect quintessentially Australian values and character. Some consider the word to be inherently masculine and hence opposed its inclusion in the Australian constitutional preamble at a referendum in 1999. Others suggest the word has evolved and is now inclusive of all Australians.
This short survey is interested in how these words are used and their national significance in Australia today. After some background questions, it is divided into two themes. The first is a series of multiple-choice questions about how/if you use the word ‘mate’. The second is about the concept of ‘mateship’ and if you consider it to be an important Australian value. This section has multiple-choice questions and written replies. Finally, you are given the opportunity to elaborate on your responses.
This survey has ethics approval 0000022035. It is both voluntary and anonymous. Once you begin, you can skip questions you do not wish to answer. You may withdraw at any time prior to completing the survey simply by closing the survey window on your web browser. As the survey is anonymous, it will not be possible to withdraw your data after submitting the survey. The data from this survey will be retained by the researchers for a period of five years.
