What are the uses/limits of the internet in terms of politics and/or democracy? Should we rethink the nature of the political? What happens to the nation/state in the age of networks that have the potential to span the whole planet? What has happened to the idea of "community" in the age of networked digital media? Discuss with an example.
I have found 6 references that appear to be relevant to this topic.
1. Papacharissi, Z. (2002). The virtual sphere. New Media and Society, 4, 9-27.
This journal discusses both sides of the argument over internet access promoting and facilitating contemporary democracy. The main argument is; for those who have access to computers, the internet is a valuable resource for political participation. This seems to be a standard point made across numerous research papers on the same topic.
2. Levine, P. (2002). Can the internet rescue democracy? Toward an on-line commons. In R. Hayduk & K. Mattson (Eds.), Democracy's movement: Reforming the American political system for the 21st century (pp. 121-137). Lanham: MD.
This chapter discusses the unjusts in America's democracy, paying particular attention to the poorly educated. It argues that many of America's poor do not vote thus there lies a major bias in elections, where powerful officials dominate voting. With the internet and the relatively easy access it provides American citizens there lies hope that these voices will be heard.
3. Srinivasan, R. (2004). Reconstituting the urban through community-articulated digital environments. Journal of Urban Technology, 11, 93-111.
Social, economic, and political factors dynamics influence the environment and create a sense of community that extends the neighborhood and geographic location. Digital environments all an individual to be a member of multiple social groups.
4. Jankowski, N. W Creating community with media: History, theories and scientific investigations.
This chapter explores the relationship between new media and community. It provides a historical overview of traditional forms of media and their relationship with community and discusses the transformation of new media with relevant case studies.
5. Clift, S. (2000). An internet of democracy. Communications of the ACM, 43, 31-32.
Raises question to: Do we want to build the Internet into the very nature our many democracies? Or will we maintain the default course where democracy is a burdensome add-on and side application that happens to run on the Internet? Just as we spend time and resources to make the Internet safe for e-commerce, shouldn't we do the same for e-democracy? Article is extremely short, but brushes over the author's answers to these questions. Very subjective. Do not think I will use this article for my assignment.
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