ISBN : 9782296546059
ONLINE CULTURES AND CIVIC AGENCY: MODEST HOPES FOR DEMOCRACY
In the context of the dilemmas of Western liberal democracy, the apparent
lack of civic engagement, especially among the young, has become a topic of
growing concern. Further, the role of the internet and other newer forms of
interactive communication technologies has been aired considerably over the
past decade, with various positions being asserted in regard to the role of these
media in positively enhancing the pubic sphere and political participation. At
the same time, manifestations of newer forms of political participation, where
younger citizens and new communication technologies are often central
elements, are also drawing research attention. In the discussion that follows, we
bring together these trajectories, integrating them into a unified research
horizon.
Our argument, in brief, is first, that political participation - civic agency - is
framed and shaped by socio-cultural factors that we call "civic cultures". We
conceptualize civic cultures as multidimensional cultural patterns that offer
resources relevant for political engagement. Further, civic cultures are shaped
by a variety of societal factors, but the media play a very central role. The rise
of the Internet - which we define in very broad terms as encompassing a wide
array of technological afforda