[Commlist] new film: Middle Rage – Social Media and the War on Democracy

Middle Rage – Social Media and the War on Democracy is a documentary 
produced by De Montfort University in collaboration with Hamlett Films 
as part of the SMIDGE Project.
https://www.smidgeproject.eu/middlerage-documentary
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The film explores how social media is reshaping political discourse, 
public trust, and democratic processes in contemporary society, with a 
particular focus on middle-aged audiences. It examines how 
misinformation, conspiracy theories, and polarising online narratives 
circulate in digital environments and influence perceptions, attitudes, 
and civic engagement.

​

Drawing on SMIDGE research findings and expert insights, the documentary 
highlights the complex role of social media platforms, algorithms, and 
online communities in shaping how individuals interpret information and 
engage with democratic life. It also reflects on how identity, life 
stage, and experiences of social and political change can shape 
susceptibility to certain online narratives.

​

By focusing on a demographic often underrepresented in discussions of 
online radicalisation, Middle Rage contributes to the SMIDGE Project’s 
broader aim of understanding how digital information environments affect 
democratic resilience across Europe.


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Nico Carpentier
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Web: http://nicocarpentier.net/
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Film essay:
AGON: Constructions of Democracy
by Ali Minanto, Nico Carpentier & Jhon Sany Purwanto
Tecmerin, 2025, 16(2), https://tecmerin.uc3m.es/project/16-2/
http://www.constructionsofdemocracy.eu/
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Book:
Democracy and Media in Europe: A Discursive-Material Approach
by Nico Carpentier & Jeffrey Wimmer
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003485438
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Recent articles/chapters:
* Theorising a Multidimensional Model for Analysing Data Fetishism: 
Reconciling Marxist and Freudian Approaches to the 'Split', with Andrea 
Miconi, in Rethinking Media and Communication: A Critical Sociological 
Lens, https://brill.com/downloadpdf/display/book/9789004748545/BP000012.pdf
* Gendered constructions of migration in Europe: An intersectional 
analysis of inclusionary and exclusionary discourses on social media 
platforms, with Panos Kompatsiaris, Sara Cannizzaro et al., European 
Journal of Cultural Studies, online first, 
https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494251407159
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Culture and Communication Research Centre (CULCORC)
Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism
Charles University
Smetanovo nábřeží 6, 110 01 Praha 1, Czech Republic
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Tallinn University
Baltic Film, Media and Arts School
https://www.tlu.ee/en/bfm
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SQRIDGE ngo
An intersection of academia and arts
http://www.sqridge.org/
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The Commlist
http://commlist.org/
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International Association for Media and Communication Research
http://iamcr.org/
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Culture and Communication Research Centre (CULCORC)
https://culcorc.fsv.cuni.cz/
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Web: http://nicocarpentier.net/
E-mail (CharlesU): (nico.carpentier /at/ fsv.cuni.cz)
Bluesky: @nicocarpentier.bsky.social‬
Mastodon: @nicocarpentier@sciences.social
FB: nico.carpentier.3
Room (CharlesU): Hollar building Room 016a
Phone (CharlesU): +420 222 112 231
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