Digital media, democracy and civil society in Central and Eastern Europe

Authors: Koc-Michalska, K., Lilleker, D., Baden, C., Guzek, D., Bene, M., Doroshenko, L., Gregor, M. and Scoric, M.

Journal: Journal of Information Technology and Politics

Volume: 21

Issue: 1

Pages: 1-5

eISSN: 1933-169X

ISSN: 1933-1681

DOI: 10.1080/19331681.2023.2257012

Abstract:

CEE countries faced significant political, economic, social, and technological transformations over the last four decades. Democratic processes, after relative stabilization, tremble again around polarizing values, populist leaders, or nationalistic ideologies. Online communication, especially social media platforms, play a vital role in shaping how citizens interact with the state, political actors, media, and other citizens. The collection of manuscripts focuses on some of the challenges democratic institutions in the region face, in transforming and sustaining civil society and attempts to capture how the digital media environments mitigate or exacerbate those challenges. Included manuscripts focus on the role that online platforms play in the satisfaction with democracy in the CEE region, the interactions between journalists and political actors, the strategic media coverage of elections, affective polarization and political antagonism, and discursive attempts to discourage young people from civic engagement.

Source: Scopus