Political Participation on Social Media: The Lived Experience of Online Debate (Political Campaigning and Communication)

"This book explores peoples lived experience of discussing politics online. Based on original research involving in-depth conversations with 85 participants around the UK, it asks people about their own understanding of their online engagement, focusing on major UK political events and related debates the Scottish Independence Referendum, the EU Referendum and the UK Labour Party leadership contests. It shows how peoples experiences are varied and influenced by many factors, but with a focus on personal feelings, needs and concerns as much as wider political ones. Participants struggle with self-awareness and understanding the motives and actions of others, which has an impact on their behaviour and perceived efficacy. They can have profound emotional responses owing to the constraints of using social media but still value it as a medium for political learning and self-expression. Communication effects in this environment are complex and unpredictable there is much crosstalk. Social media itself is proving to be an unprecedented learning environment, where people begin to better understand their own behaviour and that of others and adapt over time."--Back cover Preface and Acknowledgments Contents 1 Introduction A Snapshot in Time Academic Context Political Context Original Research A Note About Platforms Timescale References 2 The Internet, Social Media and Politics The Habermasian Public Sphere in the Social Media Age Twenty-First-Century Perspectives on the Internet and Participation Conclusion References 3 Human Factors Personality and Participation Thinking Patterns and Biases Physiological Factors References 4 Behaviour Polarisation Homophily Normative Peer Pressure Echo Chambers and Filter Bubbles Being Comfortable, Having Choice and Control Incivility and Hate Imagining Others References 5 Belief, Identity and the Presentation of Self Belief and Political Choice Making Values, Origins, Creating the Identity of Self and Others Goffman and Social Media Performative Politics The Politics of Identity Online Creating the Identity of Others Pretending to Be Someone Else Context Collapse Conclusion References 6 Crosstalk: Emotion and Misunderstanding in Online Debate Definitions Emotion, Yes or No? Significance of Emotion in Everyday Practice Misbehaving, Falling Out and Fallout Shut Down and Self-Care References 7 Self-Understanding of Participation Participation Now Is Participation so Important? Online Participation in the UK Participants’ Levels and Understanding of Political Participation Online Participation—Participants’ Perspectives Conclusion References 8 Perceptions of Efficacy I Can Change Minds, But You Can’t Change Mine... Polarisation and Political Positioning Tribalism, Partyism and Hypermorality What Politicians Think (Former) MP Kelvin MP Jess Richard and Rachel—Local Councillors References 9 Experience of Major UK Debates The Scottish Independence Referendum Scots and the Independence Debate The Labour Party Leadership Debate The EU Referendum The 2017 UK General Election References 10 Into the Labyrinth: Media Through a Social Media Lens Users’ Experience National Institutions and the Rise of ‘Alternative’ Media The ‘Fake News’ Phenomenon Checking Facts References 11 Conclusion Open and Other Observations A Way Forward? Areas for Future Research Reference Index