Handbook of Research on Political Activism in the Information Age


Book Description

Technology, and particularly the Internet, has caused many changes in the realm of politics. Mainstream media no longer has a monopoly on political commentary as social media, blogs, and user-generated video streaming sites have emerged as an outlet for citizens and political activists to openly voice their opinions, organize political demonstrations, and network online. The Handbook of Research on Political Activism in the Information Age includes progressive research from more than 39 international experts at universities and research institutions across 15 different countries. Each of the 25 scholarly chapter contributions focus on topics pertaining to the application of information technology, engineering, and mathematics to political activism. Through its analysis of the methods for political activism in the information age, the effectiveness of these methods, as well as emerging analytical tools, this book is designed for use by researchers, activists, political scientists, engineers, computer scientists, journalists, professors, students and professionals working in the fields of politics, e-government, media and communications, and Internet marketing.




Handbook of Research on Politics in the Computer Age


Book Description

Technology and particularly the Internet have caused many changes in the realm of politics. Aspects of engineering, computer science, mathematics, or natural science can be applied to politics. Politicians and candidates use their own websites and social network profiles to get their message out. Revolutions in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa have started in large part due to social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Social networking has also played a role in protests and riots in numerous countries. The mainstream media no longer has a monopoly on political commentary as anybody can set up a blog or post a video online. Now, political activists can network together online. The Handbook of Research on Politics in the Computer Age is a pivotal reference source that serves to increase the understanding of methods for politics in the computer age, the effectiveness of these methods, and tools for analyzing these methods. The book includes research chapters on different aspects of politics with information technology, engineering, computer science, or math, from 27 researchers at 20 universities and research organizations in Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, Egypt, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, and the United States of America. Highlighting topics such as online campaigning and fake news, the prospective audience includes, but is not limited to, researchers, political and public policy analysts, political scientists, engineers, computer scientists, political campaign managers and staff, politicians and their staff, political operatives, professors, students, and individuals working in the fields of politics, e-politics, e-government, new media and communication studies, and Internet marketing.




Media Activism in the Digital Age


Book Description

Media Activism is the first collection of its kind to explore the political economy of social movements, the aesthetic styles and cultural forms of mediated political expressions, and the patterns of longer-term historical change in the forms and tactics of activism. From memes to zines, hacktivism to artivism, this book considers activist practices involving both older kinds of media alongside newer digital, social, and network-based forms. The book provides fascinating case studies of activists using media to make political interventions in different historical periods and at local, national, and global levels.




Political Campaigning in the Information Age


Book Description

Technology and the Internet especially have brought on major changes to politics and are playing an increasingly important role in political campaigns, communications, and messaging. Political Campaigning in the Information Age increases our understanding of aspects and methods for political campaigning, messaging, and communications in the information age. Each chapter analyzes political campaigning, its methods, the effectiveness of these methods, and tools for analyzing these methods. This book will aid political operatives in increasing the effectiveness of political campaigns and communications and will be of use to researchers, political campaign staff, politicians and their staff, political and public policy analysts, political scientists, engineers, computer scientists, journalists, academicians, students, and professionals.




#youthaction


Book Description

Social media and digital tools permeate the everyday lives of young people. In the early stages of commentary about the impact of the digital age on civic life, debates revolved around whether the Internet enhanced or discouraged civic and political action. Since then we have seen new media move to center stage in politics and activism--from the 2008 US election to the 2011 Arab Spring to the Occupy movement. We have also seen new patterns in how different sub-groups make use of digital media. These developments have pushed people to move beyond questions about whether new media are good or bad for civic life, to ask instead: how, under what conditions, and for whom, do new digital tools become resources for political critique and action by the young? This book will provide a platform for a new wave of scholarship about young people’s political participation in the digital age. We define “youth” or “young people” as roughly between the ages of 12 and 25. We include perspectives from political science, education, cultural studies, learning sciences, and youth development. We draw on the framework developed by the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics (Cohen, Kahne, Bowyer, Middaugh, & Rogowski, 2012), which defines participatory politics as, “interactive, peer-based acts through which individuals and groups seek to exert both voice and influence on issues of public concern.”




Interpretation of Visual Arts Across Societies and Political Culture: Emerging Research and Opportunities


Book Description

It is thought that every work of art possesses multiple interpretations, depending on each viewer. Analyzing personal assessments of artwork can help enable us to gain an understanding of one another, as well as broaden our own opinions and views. Interpretation of Visual Arts Across Societies and Political Culture: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a detailed reference source that breaks down the ways art can be evaluated, and addresses how this type of analysis can influence an array of social groups and regions. Highlighting relevant topics such as artistic impression, modern art, culture wars, and freedom of expression, this publication is an ideal resource for artists, academics, students, and researchers that are interested in expanding their knowledge of the arts.




Democracy in the Disinformation Age


Book Description

In this book established researchers draw on a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives to examine social media’s impact on American politics. Chapters critically examine activism in the digital age, fake news, online influence, messaging tactics, news transparency and authentication, consumers’ digital habits and ultimately the societal impacts that continue to be created by combining social media and politics. Through this book readers will better understand and approach with questions such as: • How exactly and why did social media become a powerful factor in politics? • What responsibilities do social networks have in the proliferation of factually wrong and hate-filled messages? Or should individuals be held accountable? • What are the state-of-the-art of computational techniques for measuring and determining social media's impact on society? • What role does online activism play in today’s political arena? • What does the potent combination of social media and politics truly mean for the future of democracy? The insights and debates found herein provide a stronger understanding of the core issues and steer us toward improved curriculum and research aimed at a better democracy. Democracy in the Disinformation Age: Influence and Activism in American Politics will appeal to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academics with an interest in areas including political science, media studies, mass communication, PR, and journalism.




The Activist's Handbook


Book Description

In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of The Activist's Handbook, Randy Shaw’s hard-hitting guide to winning social change, the author brings the strategic and tactical guidance of the prior edition into the age of Obama. Shaw details how activists can best use the Internet and social media, and analyzes the strategic strengths and weaknesses of rising 21st century movements for immigrant rights, marriage equality, and against climate change. Shaw also highlights increased student activism towards fostering greater social justice in the 21st century. The Activist's Handbook: Winning Social Change in the 21st Century details the impact of specific strategies on campaigns across the country, from Occupy Wall Street to battles over sweatshops, the environment, AIDS policies, education reform, homelessness, and more: How should activists use new media tools to expose issues and mobilize grassroots support? When should activists form coalitions, and with whom? How are students—be they DREAMers seeking immigration reform or college activists battling ever-increasing tuition costs—winning major campaigns? Whether it’s by inspiring "fear and loathing" in politicians, building diverse coalitions, using ballot initiatives, or harnessing the media, the courts, and the electoral process towards social change, Shaw—a longtime activist for urban issues—shows that with a plan, positive change can be achieved. In showing how people can win social change struggles against even overwhelming odds, The Activist's Handbook is an indispensable guide not only for activists, but for anyone interested in the future of progressive politics in America.




Political Activism across the Life Course


Book Description

How do people of different ages experience and engage with politics in their everyday lives, and how do these experiences and engagements change over their life course and across different generations? Age, life course and generation have become increasing important experiences for understanding political participation and political outcomes, and current policies of austerity across the world are affecting people of all ages. This book contributes towards an interdisciplinary understanding of the temporalities of everyday political encounters. At a time when social science is struggling to understand the rapid and unexpected changes to contemporary political landscapes, the contributors to this book present examples of activism and politics across everyday experiences of homes, communities, online platforms, local environment, playgrounds and educational spaces. The research takes ethnographic, biographical and action research approaches, and the studies described feature interlocutors as young as four and as old as ninety-two who reside in European, North and South America, and South Asia. This is an eclectic text that brings together a number of themes and ideas not typically associated with political activism, and is intended for students and academic researchers across the humanities, social and political sciences interested in the temporalities of everyday political participation. This book was originally published as a special issue of Contemporary Social Science.




The SAGE Handbook of Digital Journalism


Book Description

The production and consumption of news in the digital era is blurring the boundaries between professionals, citizens and activists. Actors producing information are multiplying, but still media companies hold central position. Journalism research faces important challenges to capture, examine, and understand the current news environment. The SAGE Handbook of Digital Journalism starts from the pressing need for a thorough and bold debate to redefine the assumptions of research in the changing field of journalism. The 38 chapters, written by a team of global experts, are organised into four key areas: Section A: Changing Contexts Section B: News Practices in the Digital Era Section C: Conceptualizations of Journalism Section D: Research Strategies By addressing both institutional and non-institutional news production and providing ample attention to the question ‘who is a journalist?’ and the changing practices of news audiences in the digital era, this Handbook shapes the field and defines the roadmap for the research challenges that scholars will face in the coming decades.