ONLINE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: A citizenship-oriented approach
Authors: Koc-Michalska, K. and Lilleker, D.G.
Pages: 407-426
DOI: 10.4324/9781003333326-35
Abstract:Political participation is closely connected with citizenship. To actively seek information, engaging with and being active in civic life are viewed as the duty of a citizen. Digital technologies have widened the possibilities for acting as a citizen, leading to intense academic debates on what constitutes political participation and what does not. In this chapter, we explore these debates framed within recent research on citizenship. To understand how models of citizenship may be adapting, we adopt the broadest perspective of political participation. In doing so, we explore how traditional modes of participation (signing petitions, contacting elected representatives, protesting) are adapted for digital environments as well as how new types of interactions (such as sharing content or expressing opinions) extends our understanding of civic life. The discussion also considers uncivil behaviors and expressions. Having set out this framework, we explore trends discovered from a four-nation survey prior to outlining directions for future research.
Source: Scopus