The Internet and Democracy in Global Perspective: Voters, Candidates, Parties, and Social Movements (Studies in Public Choice Book 31)

This volume provides an important update to our current understanding of politics and the internet in a variety of new contexts, both geographically and institutionally. The subject of e-democracy has morphed over the years from speculative and optimistic accounts of a future heightened direct citizen involvement in political decision-making and an increasingly withered state apparatus, to more prosaic investigations of party and governmental website content and micro level analyses of voters’ online activities. Rather than levelling the communications and participation playing field, most studies concluded that existing patterns of bias and power distribution were being repeated online, with the one exception of a genuine change in the potential for protest and e-activism. Across all of these accounts, the question remains whether the internet is a levelling communication tool that elevates the profile of marginalised players in the political system, or whether it is a medium that simply reinforces existing power and participatory biases. While employing case studies from various global perspectives, this book investigates the role of digital media and competitive advantage, campaigns and the effect of social media, online communication as way of fomenting nonviolent revolutions and the undeniable and important role of the internet on democracy around the world. Preface and Acknowledgments 5 Contents 9 1 Introduction 10 Abstract 10 Introduction 10 References 14 2 Internet Voting in a Local Election in Canada 15 Abstract 15 Introduction 15 Remote Internet Voting 16 Methodology 17 The Growth of Internet Voting in Canada 17 Markham 19 Who is Making Use of Internet Voting? 21 Turnout and Use of Internet Ballots 23 Turnout, Nonvoters, and the Ability of Internet Voting to Engage the Young 26 Impact on Candidates and the Campaign 28 Conclusion 29 Acknowledgements 31 References 31 3 Indirect Campaigning: Past, Present and Future of Voting Advice Applications 33 Abstract 33 Introduction: The Logic of Voting Advice Applications 33 History and Diffusion of VAAs: From StemWijzer to EU Profiler 36 Impact on Electoral Competition: Parties and Party Systems 38 Impact on Users: Political Attitudes and Behavior 39 Impact on the Discipline: Party Politics and Democratic Representation 42 Conclusions: The Future of VAAs 44 References 46 4 Digital Media and the 2010 National Elections in Brazil 50 Abstract 50 Introduction 50 Digital Media and the Political Culture of Modern Brazil 51 The 2010 Campaigns in Brazil 52 Data and Methods 55 Digital Media and Electoral Advantage 56 Does Digital Media Provide Minor Parties with Some Electoral Advantage? 57 Does Digital Media Provide Newcomers with Some Electoral Advantage? 59 Conclusion 60 Acknowledgments 61 References 61 5 Campaigns and Social Media Communications: A Look at Digital Campaigning in the 2010 U.K. General Election 63 Abstract 63 The Structure of Communication Technologies and Campaign Communications 66 Data and Methods 71 Horizontal and Vertical Communications on Facebook and Twitter 75 Discussion and Conclusions 81 Appendix: Data Collection 84 References 85 6 Virtual Power Plays: Social Movements, Internet Communication Technology, and Political Parties 88 Abstract 88 MoveOn and the Tea Party Movement in Tallahassee, Florida 91 Social Movement Organizations and ICT 94 Marketing Issues and Framing the Debate 94 Mobilizing Consensus 98 Mobilizing Support 100 Implications for Political Parties 103 Competition 103 Appropriation 105 Synergy 108 Next Step? 110 References 111 7 Revolutionary Cells: On the Role of Texts, Tweets, and Status Updates in Unarmed Revolutions 115 Abstract 115 Introduction 116 From Iran to Egypt: ICTs in Unarmed Revolutions 118 ICTs and the Nonviolent Iranian Revolution 118 Old ICTs and Domestic Mobilization 119 Old ICTs and Global Awareness 121 ICTs and the Revolutions of Tunisia and Egypt 122 New ICTs and Domestic Mobilization 122 New ICTs and Global Awareness 124 Conclusions: Pushing the Theory 126 New ICTs and the Revolutionary Process 126 New ICTs and Revolutionary Outcomes 128 References 129 References 132 Index 145 Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-5 Internet Voting in a Local Election in Canada....Pages 7-24 Indirect Campaigning: Past, Present and Future of Voting Advice Applications....Pages 25-41 Digital Media and the 2010 National Elections in Brazil....Pages 43-55 Campaigns and Social Media Communications: A Look at Digital Campaigning in the 2010 U.K. General Election....Pages 57-81 Virtual Power Plays: Social Movements, Internet Communication Technology, and Political Parties....Pages 83-109 Revolutionary Cells: On the Role of Texts, Tweets, and Status Updates in Unarmed Revolutions....Pages 111-127 Back Matter....Pages 129-148