The following essay would like to approach this assumption on the basis of a comparison based on the online- and social media presence of the two parties. How do the green party differ in their online- and social media presence from the conservative party and what effects might this have in terms of communicating with their own members leading to a more efficient and successful party-organization and therefore probably currently gaining higher voter-numbers? Following this logic, the overarching thesis for the following essay is: The german green party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) has a better way to inform, involve, connect and mobilize their members through their online- and social media presence than the german conservative party (CDU).
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND RESEARCH DESIGN
3 COMPARISON
3.1 DIMENSION: INFORMING
3.2 DIMENSION: INVOLVING
3.3 DIMENSION: CONNECTING AND MOBILIZING
4 CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay aims to evaluate and compare the digital communication strategies of the German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and the Conservative Party (CDU/CSU) by assessing their online and social media presence through four key dimensions: informing, involving, connecting, and mobilizing.
- Analysis of digital party organizations and political communication functions.
- Comparison of social media strategies on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Evaluation of internal participative online-tools used by the Green Party.
- Investigation into the impact of digital presence on member mobilization and voter engagement.
- Examination of the "early adapter" theory regarding party digitalization.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 DIMENSION: INVOLVING
It seems clear that online forms of communication shape the political activities of every citizen. To state here that, the green party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) has a better way to involve their members in their online- and social media presence better than the conservative party (CDU/CSU), one can state that: The green party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) has a better way, to involve their members in their online- and social-media presence, because they invented from their early start their own participative online-tools “to draw more and different members into active participation” (Thuermer 2021, P. 230.). So it comes that, besides being the first german party on Twitter in general, next to using mailing-lists and various social-media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Threema, the party invented different tools of its own to support a vital participation of its members on the digital way. Such tools are namely inside the intranet of the party Grünes Netz, three different tools like Antragsgrün (a button, where members can submit proposals and where motions from party congresses always be published), Beteiligungsgrün (a discussion forum) and Wurzelwerk (a networking-and alumni-tool) (Thuermer 2021, P. 232.). Next to increase the involvement of their members, the party uses them as well to facilitate the preparation of its decision-making-processes (Thuermer 2021, P. 232.).
The tools are mainly invented by party-members and nowadays the party finances them further. Encountering accusations of the digital divide, and also because the party because the party's content places great value on equality, grassroots democracy and inclusivity, the green party “takes a big effort to synchronize their online- and offline procedures” (Thuermer 2021, P. 234.), which means that there are and there will always be alternative routes for members who can not or do not wish to participate in the digital world (Thuermer 2021, P. 233.) When it comes to implementing new online-tools and aiming for a broad involvement, the pace while doing so is always a decisive point. Therefore the green party makes a big deal out of introducing tools slowly, “ensuring they are in line with existing participation processes and ideals.” (Thuermer 2021, P. 227.).
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: Introduces the hypothesis that the Green Party utilizes digital media more effectively than the CDU to engage members, setting the scholarly context for the comparison.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND RESEARCH DESIGN: Establishes current academic theories on digital parties and outlines the four-dimensional methodological framework used to analyze online political communication.
3 COMPARISON: Performs a detailed side-by-side analysis of both parties, evaluating their success in the dimensions of informing, involving, connecting, and mobilizing across various social media platforms.
4 CONCLUSION: Reviews the initial thesis, finding that while the CDU excels in traditional information distribution, the Green Party demonstrates superior engagement through internal digital tools and interactive social media strategies.
Keywords
Political Parties, Germany, Digital Politics, Social Media, Green Party, CDU, Online Communication, Political Mobilization, Participation, Digitalization, E-Democracy, Party Organization, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay explores how two major German political parties, the Greens and the CDU, utilize the internet and social media to communicate with their members and the public.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include party organization, digital participation, political mobilization strategies, and the evolution of political communication in the age of social networks.
What is the primary research goal or question?
The study seeks to confirm or refute the thesis that the Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) employs more effective digital strategies for informing, involving, connecting, and mobilizing members compared to the CDU.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author uses a comparative analysis based on a four-dimensional index developed by Kirsten Foot (informing, involving, connecting, and mobilizing) to assess the digital presence of both parties.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines the structural differences between the two parties, their historically different approaches to digital tools, and specific case studies of their performance on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include political parties, digital politics, online communication, party digitalization, participation, and specifically the comparison of the CDU and the Green Party.
How does the Green Party distinguish its involvement strategy?
The Green Party differentiates itself by using specific intranet tools like "Grünes Netz" (Antragsgrün, Beteiligungsgrün, Wurzelwerk) to foster grassroots participation and synchronize digital procedures with offline party democracy.
Why did the Green Party achieve higher engagement on Instagram compared to the CDU?
The analysis suggests that the Green Party's focus on inclusivity, positive messaging, and the use of popular leadership figures resonated better with younger demographics compared to the CDU's reliance on older, traditional campaigning styles that occasionally failed to connect with users.
- Citation du texte
- Sonja Ruf (Auteur), 2022, The German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and the German Conservative Party (CDU) in Comparison. Two Political Parties and their Social Media Presence, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1354044
