Platforms, Protests, and the Challenge of Networked Democracy (Rhetoric, Politics and Society)

This book examines the recent evolution of online spaces and their impact on networked democracy. Through an illuminating mix of theoretical and methodological analysis, contributors provide an understanding of how a range of individuals and groups, including activists and NGOs, governments and griefers, are using digital technologies to influence public debates. Contributions consider these phenomena in a global contemporary context, providing within the same volume rigorous examinations of the design of digital platforms for deliberation, users’ attempts to manipulate those platforms, and the ways activists and governments are responding to emerging threats to democratic discourse. Providing diverse, global case studies, this collection is a valuable tool for academics within and beyond the fields of new media, communication, and information policy and governance.

John Jones is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, USA, where he is Director of Digital Media Studies in the Department of English. 

Michael Trice is a Lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, in the Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication program.