New Forms Of Political Participation Research Articles

Politics on the stock market? Political investorism as a form of political participation

Political investorism involves the use of financial investments to promote political aims, but has, with some recent exceptions, received scarce attention from political scientists although there are valid theoretical reasons to consider this a new form of political participation. Here, we add new knowledge to this research agenda by examining empirically whether political investorism constitutes a distinct mode of political participation. Furthermore, we explore the characteristics of political investors and why they use political investorism. We examine these issues using an original survey from Finland ( n = 1065). Our results demonstrate that political investorism constitutes a distinct mode of participation that in particular appeals to young and well-educated women living in an urban setting. Finally, cultural ideological divisions (measured with GAL-TAN: Green-Alternative-Libertarian and Traditional-Authoritarian-Nationalist) mediate socio-demographic characteristics when explaining participation.

Digital activism and citizenship: a case study of “yellow” food influencers and political consumerism in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Political consumerism is widely assumed to have a positive relationship with civic and political engagement, and much scholarly work has argued that marketplace-based politics align neatly with contemporary norms of engaged citizenship. Current studies of Hong Kong have discussed the rise of the “yellow” (pro-democratic) economy in connection with the 2019 pro-democracy movement, arguing that political consumerism is a new form of political participation. However, few studies have examined how food influencers on social media have mediated political messages and shaped the meanings of political consumerism in an increasingly authoritarian society. Drawing on original data collected from interviews with yellow food influencers, content analysis of their Instagram posts, and a survey of educated young consumers, this study seeks to understand the interactions between food influencers and consumers in the post-movement era, as facilitated by social media platforms. This study shows that the meaning of buying from yellow food shops has changed from expressing support for pro-democratic political parties to conserving unauthorized collective memories of protest as expressions of a new Hongkonger identity. Such practices maintain democratic values in a political context where conventional forms of democratic engagement are no longer possible. (191)

Political Disaffection and Digital Political Participation in Latin America: A Comparative Analysis of the Period 2008–2020

One of the issues facing the field of political behaviour analysis in recent years has been the transformation of political participation among citizens, in a context of increasing change, profoundly marked by the spread of a new digital paradigm. Network society has brought with it new forms of political participation, where different types of participatory citizenship coexist in a process of increasing interaction which, in turn, creates new morphologies, and where online and offline modes are reciprocal, generating new patterns of behaviour. Of these different types of participatory citizenship, that of the disaffected is perhaps among the most important in recent years and, in particular, since the start of the so-called “Great Recession” around 2008, and the subsequent global COVID-19 crisis. This recent context can be characterised by a significant increase in political disaffection, resulting from a loss of trust in institutions and from the constant distancing of a certain section of the citizenry from politics as a coded punishment of those governments and institutions they see as ineffective. This paper provides an analysis of citizenship types in Latin America, particularly that of the disaffected, describing their relationship to the following of political information through digital media and social networks, and identifying patterns of evolution and development in some of the trends. Results show that a clear distinction exists between the different types of citizenship and associated forms of participation, both online and offline, while also describing differences in both political perceptions and attitudes, and between areas or regions in Latin America. Likewise, important differences are found according to citizen type in relation to the following of different social networks, especially among citizens categorised as critical or disaffected.

중국 시민 정치참여의 단계적 변화 연구

Political participation has an important significance in political democracy and national governance in modern society which is also the basic operating system of modern democracy. Chinese citizens' political participation has always emphasized the concept of democracy in terms of not laying the foundation of the socialist political system.
 However, previous studies analyze the political participation of Chinese citizens in terms of institutional and case studies, not in macro-level. Therefore, this study examines the time-series changes and current status of Chinese citizen political participation at a macro level.
 The early form of Chinese civic political participation was mobilization-type political participation, which was an important driving force to break away from the feudal era and maintain a stable state system in the early days of the modern China. The next form that emerged is participation in various 'movement' dimensions reflecting the times when economic development was prioritized with independent civic political participation at a limited level. In the third stage, the form of government-led political participation appeared intensively after the 2000s, and at the same time, it was a process of more democratic political reform and institutionalization of citizens' political participation. The last stage is political participation in China's policy criticism, which is expanding based on ICT. A new form of political participation is emerging around online networked opinion leaders, which will establish itself as a basic participation method for generations living in the smart era in the future.
 Based on this analysis, the paper is concluded by presenting suggestions and limitations for the sound development of Chinese civic politics.

Performing art as a new form of youth participation and engagement in politics: The case of Chileans’ social outburst

Protest activity has become a central element for political change in Chile. In 2019, during Chileans’ October social outburst, performing arts were in the centre of the street protests. This article explores the inspiration social movements have gained from artistic practices and the role the arts in general have had as a new form of youth participation and engagement in politics in Chile. Also, this article examines the relation between the lack of formal citizenship education in the Chilean curriculum after the return of democracy and the birth of these new forms of political participation and activism within the youth. Additionally, based on the Chilean case, the article argues the need for new conceptualizations of citizenship education beyond the traditional boundaries of education institutions.

Digital Freedom –Opening up the Debate

This paper contributes to the normative analysis of digital technologies and data-driven practices by broadening the analytical perspective on freedom. Many contemporary discussions of the digital context tend to operate with a relatively narrow conception of freedom, which centers on the absence of interference. While this approach is in line with liberalism’s on-going paradigmatic standing in much of the Western world, we argue that digital theorists have much to gain from opening their discussions to social and positive conceptions of freedom. Drawing on the work of Axel Honneth and John Christman, we show how such a change in perspective gives rise to new considerations for freedom in the digital context, such as collective self-determination, capabilities, and mutual recogni- tion. Building on these ideas, we sketch three demands that follow from such an inclusive conception of freedom: empowering people via new forms of political participation, increasing diversity and collective awareness in the digital industry, as well as using progressive political regulation to unleash digital technology’s social potential.

Political Consumerism in Hong Kong: China’s Economic Intervention, Identity Politics, or Political Participation?

This study examines the recent emergence of political consumerism in Hong Kong. Given its potential implications, we document the origin and maturation of this development and theoretically explain political consumerism from three perspectives: as a response to China’s economic intervention, as a form of identity politics, and as a new form of political participation. Drawing on original data collected from a representative survey of the local population, supplemented by interviews with stakeholders from the pro-democracy economic circle, we found that people who opposed China-Hong Kong economic integration and expressed a strong local (as opposed to national) identity tended to support boycotting. People who engaged in political consumerism were active in both legal and radical protests, pointing to the complementary nature of these different forms of activism. Further, by adopting a mediation analysis, we find that support towards the Anti-extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement only partially mediate the effect of the factors on political consumerism, suggesting that they are distinct development despite their shared origins. This article provides a novel perspective on the political polarisation in Hong Kong among consumer markets.

Memes in Romania: A New Form of Political Participation

Political communication has been shaped by the technological and social changes our society has faced and social media has become the main platform of communication, allowing people to share their thoughts, images and therefore political ideas. With the political digitalization, the political meets the social through platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. From creating targeted posts for the online thought sharing, politicians are more relevant than ever, thanks to social media platforms. The process of creating a political image has now adapted to the specifici- ties of social media platforms. One of most popular structures of promotion to the masses: the memetic culture. Creating and sharing political content has been given a new meaning nowadays. If at first, memes have been perceived as an expression of humoristic content, they can now be seen as a new way of expressing political behavior—by creating and sharing a certain type of political memes, individuals can associate and support their beliefs towards certain political trends and candidates. The present study aims at proving that the act of meme-sharing on social media platforms can be perceived as a modern form of involvement within the political community. The results have shown that memes can indeed be an instru- ment of political participation and delegitimization.

DIGITAL DECISION-MAKING TECHNOLOGIES: CROWDSOURCING AS A FORM OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, a “smart” society is being formed, whose members are able to acquire and apply new competencies, including in the field of political management. In the field of public policy, this is related to the creation and implementation of innovations in the public administration system. In this regard, crowdsourcing is becoming a more popular form of interaction between the government and society, including not only the creation of a “bank of ideas”, but also the use of Internet solutions for new forms of political participation. The key areas of digital interaction between society and the state are the delegation of power to citizens and the introduction of innovations to reduce transaction costs.

Online Civic Intervention: A New Form of Political Participation Under Conditions of a Disruptive Online Discourse

In the everyday practice of online communication, we observe users deliberately reporting abusive content or opposing hate speech through counterspeech, while at the same time, online platforms are increasingly relying on and supporting this kind of user action to fight disruptive online behavior. We refer to this type of user engagement as online civic intervention (OCI) and regard it as a new form of user-based political participation in the digital sphere that contributes to an accessible and reasoned public discourse. Because OCI has received little scholarly attention thus far, this article conceptualizes low- and high-threshold types of OCI as different kinds of user responses to common disruptive online behavior such as hate speech or hostility toward the media. Against the background of participation research, we propose a theoretically grounded individual-level model that serves to explain OCI.

The Influence of Digital Communications on Political Participation

The article provides a review of studies assessing the effects of digital communication technologies on the political participation of citizens. Political participation is understood as civic engagement. The author considers the changes in the forms of political participation of citizens in the transition of digital communications from unidirectional information technologies Web 1.0 to interactive technologies Web 2.0 used in social media. Evaluation of the impact of digital communications on public activity is shown from various well-founded positions of ‘cyber-pessimists’ and ‘cyberoptimists’. Pessimists note the negative effects of the increased use of digital communications, which consist of social disunity, the erosion of social capital and, as a result, in a decrease in civil and political activity. In turn, optimists argue that the intensive use of digital communications has opened up opportunities for access to the necessary information and the creation of new forms of political participation, significantly reducing the cost (time, effort) of mobilising supporters and coordinating action. Moreover, digital media has created conditions for the implementation of creative and non-political formats of participation, which are often transformed into political actions. Based on the metadata, the author concluded it is necessary to strengthen and diversity of the effects of digital communication on civic and political participation.

Political Participation in Self-Managed Social Centres. Direct Social Action and Institutionalization in Bologna City

While regeneration is emerging as a paradigm capable of inspiring public policies and transforming lifestyles, the urban space remains a fertile ground in which collective initiatives based on activism and solidarity can emerge. The aim of this article is to describe some social and political practices in self-managed spaces and their relationship both with the wider background of the city and with local institu-tions. We argue that processes of institutionalization could affect practices of self-organization and political participation in different ways: these processes could mark the cooptation of conflicts into local administration strategies as well as open new forms of politicization around urban commons. We will present a case study, the evolution of the social centre Labas in Bologna city, as a testing ground to explore and examine these practices and interactions. In the following paragraphs, we define the self-managed social centres, considering the processes of repression and institutionalization, and the development of new forms of political participation. Then we focus on the history of Bologna's social centres. Finally, we analyze the case study, briefly describing the process of institutionalization and the evolution of its practices.

От электронного голосования к протестной мобилизации: как интернет трансформирует политическое участие

This article is devoted to the study of the influence of Internet technologies and social media on the forms of political participation of modern citizens. The author notes that the Internet contributes more to the politicization of citizens, providing them with new opportunities for communication, obtaining and producing political information and committing collective actions. The author believes that under the influence of the Internet, political participation is transformed in two directions: 1. there is a technological modernization of instrumental and procedural forms of participation; 2. new forms of political participation are emerging.

It Takes a Village: Peer Effects and Externalities in Technology Adoption

AbstractDo social networks matter for the adoption of new forms of political participation? We develop a formal model showing that the quality of communication that takes place in social networks is central to understanding whether a community will adopt forms of political participation where benefits are uncertain and where there are positive externalities associated with participation. Early adopters may exaggerate benefits, leading others to discount information about the technology's value. Thus, peer effects are likely to emerge only when informal institutions support truthful communication. We collect social network data for 16 Ugandan villages where an innovative mobile‐based reporting platform was introduced. Consistent with our model, we find variation across villages in the extent of peer effects on technology adoption, as well as evidence supporting additional observable implications. Impediments to social diffusion may help explain the varied uptake of new and increasingly common political communication technologies around the world.

LOLitics: The Content and Impact of Dutch Populist Internet Memes

Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have created a space for user generated content. Users create their own humorous pictures, catchphrases, hashtags or videos, called internet memes, which are widely shared via social media. These memes, often satirical, are also used to express political criticism. As such, it represents a new form of political participation and deserves further inquiry. This study (i) analyses the content of internet memes posted on Dutch right-wing populist Facebook pages; and (ii) using an experimental design, it examines the impact of memes on political cynicism and sympathy for politicians. The results show that (i) memes are more than just entertaining images. They are carriers of anger and political discontent; (ii) yet, there is not enough evidence to assert that memes affect political cynicism or attitudes towards politicians.

Benign dataveillance? Examining novel data-driven governance systems in India and China

This study examines novel data-driven models of governance emerging from the Global South, specifically India and China, enabled by Net-based technologies. The first model, the biometric identity scheme or ‘Aadhaar’ project in India consolidates citizens’ digital identities to enable access to government services such as welfare benefits. The second model is China’s Social Credit System. By combining the citizens’ financial records, online shopping data, social media behaviour and employment history, the system will produce a personal score for each citizen. This rating system will be used to measure the citizens’ trustworthiness. This research unpacks these value-embedded systems posited as digital innovations to strengthen citizenship through new forms of political participation, inclusion and representation. In doing so, we are confronted with what constitutes as “democracy” in this datafied and global era, beyond the universalisms that are on offer today.

ACEHNESE COFFEE SHOPS AS PUBLIC SPACES: ACEH POLITICAL PARTICIPATION MODEL IN YOGYAKARTA

Purpose: This paper aims to recognize a new form of political participation that is expressed by Acehnese coffee shop drinkers in supporting and criticizing local Acehnese politics, particularly those in Yogyakarta. Furthermore, this research examines the role of informal movements and clubs involved in decision-making related issues of Acehnese living in Yogyakarta.
 Methodology:This is a critical qualitative approach with in-depth interviews and participatory observation over several months. Participatory observation was conducted through immersive participation in Acehnese coffee shops as public spaces and in-depth interviews with coffee shop managers, community leaders, and regular customers.
 Findings: The Acehnese unique cultural and social culture of coffee drinking plays a dynamic role with Acehnese community’s relationship with politics. This culture facilitates the existence of Acehnese identity in Yogyakarta and intensifies political participation through informal discussion. Acehnese coffee shops are free and autonomous public spaces, which are collectively owned and persevered by the community.
 Implication: Informal politics and local identity expressed through far political distances are interesting in Indonesia to examine social cohesion and capital nationwide. Out study also develops a model contributes to political science in Indonesian by explaining the relationship between informal and formal politics. It helps explain differences of different cultural and ethnic groups in Indonesia.
 Originality: Our paper investigates the perspective of local politics within Indonesian politics. Furthermore, most contemporary political research focuses on formal and official politics, while this paper uncovers long distance informal politics embedded in unique Acehnese social culture in coffee shops. The civic contribution of Acehnese coffee shops as a public place in Indonesian democracy is convincingly established in this paper.

WHEN NEW POLITICAL PARTICIPATION MEETS TRADITIONAL POLITICS / QUANDO A NOVA PARTICIPAÇÃO POLÍTICA SE ENCONTRA COM A POLÍTICA TRADICIONAL

This article presents and analyzes new forms of political participation and their relationship with the traditional institutions and actors of representative democracy. In spite of the creation of new forms of political participation during the last fifty years, the representative system was until now not able to interact with the new political phenomena in a profitable way. The detachment between these two realities – two distinct groups of actions, actors, organizations and institutions - constitutes important part of the permanent “crisis of democracy”. While this detachment lasts, possible political outputs are the advance of populism and the delegitimization of some classical political institutions, like Parliaments.

Del "Toma la plaza" a la "okupación" en Extremadura: la politización del espacio en los movimientos "indignados"

Entre los movimientos sociales que han situado la apropiación del espacio como repertorio de acción destacado para la participación política de la ciudadanía, sobresale el movimiento 15M o movimiento “indignado”. La ocupación del espacio presenta, desde la cotidianeidad, un lugar político en el que el conflicto se sitúa como elemento analítico central y, simultáneamente, supone un escenario de posibilidad para la emergencia de nuevas formas de participación política. La presente etnografía analiza la producción social del espacio de los movimientos “indignados”, a través del estudio de los repertorios de acción e identificaciones de los activistas en tres procesos de ocupación en la comunidad autónoma de Extremadura (España) entre los años 2011 y 2014. El trabajo discute los alcances y limitaciones de las estrategias de los movimientos en la extensión de las demandas y formas de organización a marcos institucionales y representativos de participación política, desde el análisis de las prácticas de sentido y de gestión del conflicto que desarrollan los participantes en los espacios.

Peer Effects and Externalities in Technology Adoption: Evidence from Community Reporting in Uganda

Do social networks matter for the adoption of new forms of political participation? We develop a formal model showing that the quality of communication that takes place in social networks is central to understanding whether a community will adopt forms of political participation where benefits are uncertain and where there are positive externalities associated with participation. Early adopters may exaggerate benefits, leading others to discount information about the technology's value. Thus, peer effects are likely to emerge only where informal institutions support truthful communication. We collect social network data for sixteen Ugandan villages where an innovative mobile-based reporting platform was introduced. Consistent with our model, we find variation across villages in the extent of peer effects on technology adoption, as well as evidence supporting additional observable implications. Impediments to social diffusion may help explain the varied uptake of new and increasingly common political communication technologies around the world.