‘We need to get together and make ourselves heard’: everyday online spaces as incubators of political action

Authors: Graham, T., Jackson, D. and Wright, S.

Journal: Information Communication and Society

Volume: 19

Issue: 10

Pages: 1373-1389

eISSN: 1468-4462

ISSN: 1369-118X

DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2015.1094113

Abstract:

ABSTRACT: This article examines to what extent, and how, people engaging in political talk within ‘non-political’ discussion forums – online lifestyle communities – leads to political (or personal) action or calls-to-action. The analysis is framed in the context of wider questions of citizenship, civic engagement and political mobilization. To capture everyday political talk amongst citizens requires us to move beyond the now widely analysed online spaces of formal politics. Instead, we focus on online third spaces concerning lifestyle issues such as parenting, personal finance and popular culture. Drawing on a content analysis of three popular UK-based discussion forums over the course of five years (2010–2014), we found that (for two of the three cases) such spaces were more than just talking shops. Rather they were spaces where political actions not only emerged, but where they seemed to be cultivated. Discussions embedded in the personal lives of participants often developed – through talk – into political actions aimed at government (or other) authorities. The article sheds light on the contributing factors and processes that (potentially) trigger and foster action emerging from political talk and provides insight into the mobilization potential of third spaces.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22852/

Source: Scopus

"We need to get together and make ourselves heard': everyday online spaces as incubators of political action

Authors: Graham, T., Jackson, D. and Wright, S.

Journal: INFORMATION COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY

Volume: 19

Issue: 10

Pages: 1373-1389

eISSN: 1468-4462

ISSN: 1369-118X

DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2015.1094113

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22852/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

‘We need to get together and make ourselves heard’: everyday online spaces as incubators of political action

Authors: Graham, T., Jackson, D. and Wright, S.

Journal: Information, Communication & Society

DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2015.1094113

Abstract:

This article examines to what extent, and how, people engaging in political talk within ‘non-political’ discussion forums – online lifestyle communities – leads to political (or personal) action or calls-to-action. The analysis is framed in the context of wider questions of citizenship, civic engagement and political mobilization. To capture everyday political talk amongst citizens requires us to move beyond the now widely analysed online spaces of formal politics. Instead, we focus on online third spaces concerning lifestyle issues such as parenting, personal finance and popular culture. Drawing on a content analysis of three popular UK-based discussion forums over the course of five years (2010–2014), we found that (for two of the three cases) such spaces were more than just talking shops. Rather they were spaces where political actions not only emerged, but where they seemed to be cultivated. Discussions embedded in the personal lives of participants often developed – through talk – into political actions aimed at government (or other) authorities. The article sheds light on the contributing factors and processes that (potentially) trigger and foster action emerging from political talk and provides insight into the mobilization potential of third spaces.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22852/

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1094113?journalCode=rics20

Source: Manual

‘We need to get together and make ourselves heard’: everyday online spaces as incubators of political action

Authors: Graham, T., Jackson, D. and Wright, S.

Journal: Information, Communication & Society

Volume: 19

Issue: 10

Pages: 1373-1389

ISSN: 1369-118X

Abstract:

This article examines to what extent, and how, people engaging in political talk within ‘non-political’ discussion forums – online lifestyle communities – leads to political (or personal) action or calls-to-action. The analysis is framed in the context of wider questions of citizenship, civic engagement and political mobilization. To capture everyday political talk amongst citizens requires us to move beyond the now widely analysed online spaces of formal politics. Instead, we focus on online third spaces concerning lifestyle issues such as parenting, personal finance and popular culture. Drawing on a content analysis of three popular UK-based discussion forums over the course of five years (2010–2014), we found that (for two of the three cases) such spaces were more than just talking shops. Rather they were spaces where political actions not only emerged, but where they seemed to be cultivated. Discussions embedded in the personal lives of participants often developed – through talk – into political actions aimed at government (or other) authorities. The article sheds light on the contributing factors and processes that (potentially) trigger and foster action emerging from political talk and provides insight into the mobilization potential of third spaces.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/22852/

Source: BURO EPrints