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Politics online : blogs, chatrooms, and discussion groups in American democracy / Richard Davis.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Davis, Richard, 1955-
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Political participation--Technological innovations--United States.
- Political participation.
- Politics and government.
- Electronic discussion groups.
- Online chat groups.
- Political participation--Technological innovations.
- United States--Politics and government--Blogs.
- United States.
- Blogs.
- United States--Politics and government--Online chat groups.
- United States--Politics and government--Electronic discussion groups.
- Physical Description:
- xiii, 164 pages ; 24 cm
- Place of Publication:
- New York : Routledge, 2005.
- Summary:
- Online political discussion has been touted by some as a new tool for deliberative or even direct democracy. In Politics Online Richard Davis argues that, to the contrary, online forums in their current form lack the representative qualities essential to serve as gauges of public opinion. The author provides a thorough analysis detailing the political attitudes, behavior, and demographic nature of the electronic discussion community as it contrasts with the general public. Basing his findings on an original study including content analysis of discussion groups' messages and surveys of online discussion posters and subscribers, Davis demonstrates that the online discussion community does not mirror the general public it ostensibly represents, and the online environment for participation does not at present foster healthy public discourse. In short, Davis argues, the Internet is not the panacea it is envisioned to be for our democratic ills.
- Politics Online is essential reading for those interested-both advocates and skeptics alike-in the democratic potential of the Internet.
- Contents:
- Introduction
- Electronic political discussion
- The political world of electronic discussion
- Online discussants
- Posters versus lurkers
- Virtual representation
- Conclusion.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 143-153) and index.
- ISBN:
- 0415951925
- 0415951933
- OCLC:
- 57285899
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