How do political elites use social media platforms to gain power over people? And what is the relationship between democracy, public culture and media?
Hugo_Hugo
REFERENCE-KeyIdeas_RoughOutlineDraft.pdf
The impact of new information technologies on democracy
- Research Question: How do political elites use social media to gain power over people?
- Research Topic: Donald Trump's use of Twitter & far-right online news platform Breitbart
- Thesis: (proposal for possible thesis idea **): Donald Trump and the 2016 presidential election is a perfect example of how political elites can utilize new information technologies in order to gain power and influence public discourse. During the 2016 presidential primaries, against all odds, Trump dominated headline news on the side of the race to become the nominee for the Republican Party.
REFERENCE MAIN IDEAS/ SUGGESTIONS :TO CORRELATE & ENGAGE WITH
1. Michael Meyer-Resende, Social Media & Election Democracy Observation
● Discuss - why social media matters in elections (pg. 8) ● Impact on voting
2. Peter Dreier, Agenda setting, Framing & Opinion Entrepreneurs (ACORN)
Study of ACORN to examine the narratives and power relations of a major political controversy, applying agenda-setting & framing theories as the narratives still unfolding in a very complex media environment
● Discuss agenda setting, framing as a means to introduce Breitbart News &
Steve Bannon
● “During a political campaign,candidates & their staff & become a major source of news & some candidates receive more coverage (i.e agenda setting) & more control over their narratives in coverage (frames) than others” (p. 764) ----(EX Breitbart News: political controversy and media agenda setting)
3. Inderjeet Parmar, The Legitimacy Crisis of U.S. Elite & the Rise of Donald Trump
Use resource to COMPARE political elite (topic sentence idea):
“In addition, both main candidates were aided by a corporate-dominated media which provided disproportionately less airtime to the socialist candidate as compared to Clinton and Trump” (Parmar, p. 13)
- Donald Trump's elite access to media (i.e online news platform Breitbart)
was used as a political weapon during his race for candidacy.
- The building of Trump’s ‘army’ of supporters was a direct consequence of all the media coverage he was gaining as a result of the online news platforms and social media to directly communicate to the public
- Ultimately, Donald Trump would have likely not been elected president if it
were not for new media technology
4. Joshua A. Tucker, From Liberation to Turmoil- Social Media & Democracy
- Discuss social media debate - PRO/ADVANTAGES of social media viewpoint (pg. 49) - AGAINST/ CONS of social media viewpoint (pg. 50)
“Social media have transformed the way we communicate, interact, and consume many kinds of information, including political information.”(pg. 48)
5. Croteau-Hoynes, Objectivity News
- Crisis of Journalism - Political pressure on journalist - Power of the spin doctors - Political polarization & the propagation of falsehoods (Pg. 257) (i.e
Breitbart News)
Democracy cannot be successful without free press. Free press is essential, as it is the voice of the people
- Discuss media bias in representation, fairness, objectivity, and truth - Note Brietbart -an online news platform that was well-known to fabricate news
6. Peter Dahlgren, The Internet, Public Spheres, & Political Communication
- Democracy & the public sphere & the limits of deliberative democracy (155)
- Donald Trump's dominance was achieved chiefly largely of social media --
reference Gahlgrens two perspectives regarding the role of internet in the public sphere (pg. 154)
7. Ralph Schroeder, Digital Media & the Rise of Right-Wing Populism
● Trump’s ascent via Twitter (pg. 63)
● Trump’s coverage in mainstream media & polling data show correlation: discuss data results to support position of the impact of new media on democracy
● Discuss Modi’s campaign & its following of Trump’s use of social media (p.
70)
8. John Street, 6 Conglomerate Control:Media Moguls and Media Power
- Refer to the political elite power of Rupert Murdoch (pg.133) - COMPARE/correlate with Donald Trump
