Facebook, Twitter and Youtube have revolutionized global communication. The possibility to voice opinions online changes patterns of democracy and of democratic participation.
During the US election campaign of President Barack Obama, blogs and bloggers have been a powerful factor. Drawing upon insights from the United States, this paper sets out to discuss the role of blogs during the European elections 2009. It further outlines the potential for blogs to bring about a veritable European public sphere in the future.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Definition of key terms
III. The public sphere in the European Union
IV. The blogosphere in the United States
V. Rules of electoral campaigning in the EU and the potential for the European blogosphere
VI. Conclusion
VII. References
VIII. Annex
Research Objectives & Key Themes
This paper examines the potential of the European blogosphere to mitigate the democratic deficit of the European Union by fostering greater political participation among citizens and providing a mechanism for the democratic control of policy-makers, contrasting this with the established role of the blogosphere in the United States.
- The role of the blogosphere in enhancing political participation and citizen involvement.
- Mechanisms of democratic control of policy-makers through investigative journalism and "blog swarms".
- Challenges to a unified European public sphere, including language barriers and the digital divide.
- Comparison between the U.S. political blogosphere and the emerging European landscape.
- The impact of institutional and media barriers on the influence of political blogging in Europe.
Excerpt from the Publication
IV. The blogosphere in the United States
Based on a single common language, the public sphere in the United States is more homogeneous than the interrelated public spheres in the European Union. This means that information about political affairs can be transported to the citizens with greater ease than in the European Union, which facilitates political participation of the people. In addition, due to cultural and other related factors, the United States have provided a social climate which benefits new ideas and have therefore often been at the forefront of political and cultural innovation (cf. Blumler, Kavanagh, Nossiter in Swanson, Mancini, 1996, p. 250). It is therefore not surprising that the blogosphere first arose in the United States.
In order to speak about the blogosphere, it is useful to give a definition of a blog in the first place. A weblog, or blog, is a simplified personal website with a function for the publication of texts and photos. Blogs are provided by professional servers on the internet; an account can be created for free within the space of several minutes. A blog allows the individual user to post messages about his environment and thereby gives him the possibility to stay in contact with his network. The simple handling of a blog means that users can post new messages to many readers in a short space of time. Friends and colleagues can react to this news quickly via a comment function. While Popoloski (2005) holds that the average blog user in the United States is a school girl posting twice a week to tell her friends the latest news about her life (Popoloski in Hewitt, 2005, p. 70), professional blogs are used by a wide variety of actors for many different purposes. Thus, companies may use professional blogs in order to present their products or their newest innovations to their clients (Euractiv, 2007). The blogs and bloggers of interest to this paper are those who raise their voice on political issues and to whom politicians, journalists, bloggers and scholars collectively refer as the blogosphere.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: The introduction outlines the transformation of global communication through the internet and sets the research goal of analyzing how blogs can influence political participation and democratic control in the EU.
II. Definition of key terms: This section defines the concepts of political participation and democratic control of decision-makers within the context of the "responsive model of democracy" and investigative journalism.
III. The public sphere in the European Union: This chapter discusses the difficulty of establishing a supranational European public sphere and explores the Utopian, Elitist, and Realist perspectives regarding its current state.
IV. The blogosphere in the United States: This part details the origins and functions of the American blogosphere, highlighting its role as a watchdog and its ability to maintain momentum on political issues.
V. Rules of electoral campaigning in the EU and the potential for the European blogosphere: This chapter analyzes declining voter turnout in European elections and assesses whether the European blogosphere can emulate the mobilizing success seen in the U.S.
VI. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes that while the European blogosphere has potential for checking policy-makers, it currently faces significant barriers that limit its ability to involve the masses in democratic processes.
VII. References: A comprehensive list of academic sources, articles, and interviews utilized in the research.
VIII. Annex: Provides original questionnaire responses from influential European bloggers and experts, offering practical insights into the state of the Euroblogosphere.
Key Terms
European Union, democratic deficit, blogosphere, political participation, public sphere, citizen journalism, web 2.0, democratic control, investigative journalism, Europeanization, digital divide, voter turnout, blog swarm, Euroblogs, policy-makers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper investigates whether the European blogosphere can foster democratic participation and provide a check on political decision-making in the European Union, similar to the phenomenon observed in the United States.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The research focuses on the "democratic deficit" of the EU, the characteristics of the European public sphere, the mechanics of political blogging, and the barriers—such as language and the digital divide—preventing mass political engagement via the internet.
What is the central research question?
The study asks to what extent the European blogosphere can act as a catalyst for increased citizen involvement and democratic oversight of EU policy-makers.
What research methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a literature review of existing democratic and media theories, supplemented by primary data collected through expert interviews and questionnaires with leading European bloggers and media professionals.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the structural differences between U.S. and EU public spheres, analyzes the specific challenges of European electoral campaigning, and evaluates the potential of online platforms to create an "imagined community" for political debate.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The most relevant keywords include European Union, democratic deficit, blogosphere, political participation, public sphere, and citizen journalism.
How do European bloggers perceive their influence on policy-makers?
Most interviewees, such as Jon Worth and Ralf Grahn, note that while they are occasionally read by staff within EU institutions, they lack direct institutional influence, as policy-makers are often hesitant to engage with the blogosphere.
What role does the "Th!nk about it" project play in the analysis?
The project serves as a case study for the difficulties of engaging European citizens in online political discourse, demonstrating both the high quality of academic contribution and the persistent lack of participation from elected MEPs.
What are the identified barriers for a truly democratic European blogosphere?
The author identifies language fragmentation, the digital divide, a lack of common editorial guidance, and the reluctance of traditional political elites to embrace new forms of two-way communication.
- Arbeit zitieren
- André Feldhof (Autor:in), 2009, Atomization overcome? The case of the European blogosphere in Fostering more European Democracy, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/132656
