[ecrea] CFP PSA 2017 - "Mediatization of politics and (social) media participation"

Panel: "Mediatization of politics and (social) media participation"
at PSA Annual International Conference 2017 (10-12 April), Glasgow

Supported by Italian Politics Specialist Group










CALL FOR PAPERS

Papers to be discussed during the panel will deal with the mediatization 
process of politics in the era of social media.

In order to address this issue, an awareness is needed, first of all, 
about how social media shape the communicative eco-system and social 
action, and how they are influenced by social practices.

Analysing the cultural dimension of media participation in politics, and 
the possibility of developing new horizons of meaning depending on a 
fundamental change, assumes a strong significance in this perspective. 
What the panel wishes to explore is, in essence, the shift from the 
central role of the /broadcasting/ media logic towards a /grassroots/ 
media logic, with regard to various forms of political and civic 
negotiation and conflict. The growing of viral and reflexive movements, 
advocacy groups and online campaigns, which are characterised by 
/connective/ action in their dynamics of deliberation and coordination, 
is a clear example of this epochal change. More generally, however, we 
also need to observe that, in contemporary online movements and forms of 
digital political engagement, common forms of collective 
self-representation are generated by means of the production, remixing, 
sharing and appropriation of content to be located in the everyday life 
of the individual.

Against this background, however, there seem to be some important 
differences between Southern European countries (such as Italy and other 
Mediterranean societies), and Northern European and American 
democracies. Citizens are usually defined as less civic and 
participative in public issues in the former as compared to the latter. 
And yet, the mediatization operated by the Internet on society and 
politics stimulates some critical questions the panel would like to be 
discussed:


i) Has social-media politics had any effect on citizens’ engagement 
styles and political culture?

ii) How are the broadcasting and social 
media related in the different countries?

iii) What kind of 
organisational framework characterises the various expressions of online 
civic engagement and political involvement?

The aim of this panel is to shed light on these issues, discussing 
academic work based on:

a) case studies (drawing either on single countries or comparative 
analysis) looking at: online campaigns, web-based parties, civil society 
monitors and government watchdogs;

b) research on social media, adopting a range of research methods and 
techniques, e.g., big-data analysis, opinion polls among e-citizens, 
qualitative interviews with e-activists, and social network website 
content analysis.

To this end, we welcome papers that focus on the relationship between 
the Internet, political participation and citizens’ involvement, as well 
as on a multidisciplinary approach.

If you are interested in contributing to the panel, please send an 
abstract (max 300 words) by 20 October 2016 to 
(giovanni.bocciaartieri /at/ uniurb.it) 
<mailto:(giovanni.bocciaartieri /at/ uniurb.it)>and (luigi.ceccarini /at/ uniurb.it) 
<mailto:(luigi.ceccarini /at/ uniurb.it)>


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