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New Media and Political Participation

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Young People and Political Participation

Abstract

This chapter examines the usage of new forms of media to enhance and facilitate political participation. Political participation is examined at differing levels of governance and, in addition, differing types of participation are compared. The usage of new technology, in particular Web 2.0 technology (such as, social networking sites like Facebook™, and the use of micro-blogging sites such as Twitter™), is examined in order to ascertain the extent to which these new approaches facilitate and encourage greater political participation amongst young people. New technology might be the way for young people to mobilise and activate their potential power and for them to utilise the strength afforded to them by their numbers. The notion of an online community or e-democracy might be a factor that particularly appeals to young people.

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Briggs, J. (2017). New Media and Political Participation. In: Young People and Political Participation. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-31385-0_4

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