The potential of computer-mediated communication (CMC) for political structuration

Hacker, Kenneth L. (author)

An argument is presented here for a political structuration approach for the study of digital democracy. This argument attempts to demonstrate that political structuration can occur as users of CMC construct new forms of political interaction that produce new rules and resources for political communication. While such changes appear to occur mainly at micro levels of interaction, their cumulative effects are argued to be capable of initiating significant changes in social systems. When engaged in political structuration, citizens are more likely to increase their political efficacy as well as their active role in a democratic system. While researchers have not yet found any substantial causal links yet between CMC and political participation, it is theoretically possible to encourage such links by showinghow specific political uses of communication technology can facilitate political agency.

• Language: Slovenian
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2004
• Number of pages: Str. 5-25
• Numbering: Vol. 11, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-76343
• UDC: 316.77
• ISSN on article: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23293789
• Publication date in RUL: 21.12.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Javnost = The public
• Shortened title: Javnost
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, European Institute for Communication and Culture
• ISSN: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 40119808

Secondary language

• Language: Unknown
• Title: Potencial računalniško posredovanega komuniciranja za politično strukturiranje

Abstract

Avtor razgrinja argumente za politično strukturacijski pristop k proučevanju digitalne demokracije. Politično strukturiranje se lahko pojavi, ker uporabniki računalniško posredovanega komuniciranja konstruirajo nove oblike politične interakcije, te pa ustvarjajo nove oblike in vire političnega komuniciranja. Take spremembe se pojavljajo na mikro ravni interakcije, vendarpa bi lahko njihov kumulativni učinek sprožil bistvene spremembe v družbenih sistemih. Z angažiranjem v političnem strukturiranju lahko državljani povečajo svojo politično učinkovitost ter aktivno vlogo v demokratičnem sistemu. Raziskovalci sicer še niso našli dokazov za vzročno povezanost med računalniško posredovanim komuniciranjem in politično participacijo, vendar pa lahko teoretsko zagovarjamo tako povezanost, če pokažemo, kako specifične politične uporabe komunikacijske tehnologije pospešujejo politično delovanje.