The relevance of modern web 2.0 for the United States presidential election was often emphasized. Especially Twitter and YouTube seemed to have huge influence on the election campaigns but how did they get used during the campaigns? How did this new era of web influence the voters’ choice? The web obviously played an important role and was used to get the people involved. It helped to create an attachment to the political candidates and it was although a great technology for collecting donations. Especially Barack Obama used the web sent for his propose and had great success with this strategy. This scientific work will explain in which way the web got influence on the campaigns and their strategies. It will also explain the role of the voters, which is in general not as great as it often seems to be. In the end of my work there will also be a case study of 2008 that focuses Barack Obama and his campaign, which was rather more interesting than the Republicans’.
Table of Contents
1 Preface
2 Introduction
3 What is web 2.0
3.1 Four “key characteristics of web 2.0”
3.1.1 Presence
3.1.2 Modification
3.1.3 User-generated content
3.1.4 Social participation
3.2 Certain examples of web 2.0
3.2.1 Twitter
3.2.2 YouTube
3.2.3 Facebook
4 The System of presidential election
4.1 The two major parties
4.1.1 The Republican Party
4.1.2 The Democratic Party
4.2 Results in 2008
5 Strategy of a campaign
5.1 “Top-down” approach
5.2 “Bottom-up” approach
5.3 Combined approach
6 Role of the voter
6.1 Collecting donations
7 Case study of 2008
7.1 Barack H. Obama
7.2 John S. McCain
8 Evaluation of the Relevance for politics today and in the future
9 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This work examines the influence of Web 2.0 technologies on the 2008 United States presidential election, focusing on how digital tools transformed campaign strategies and voter engagement. It analyzes whether these tools fundamentally shifted the power dynamic between candidates and the electorate or if they primarily served to reinforce traditional political organizational structures.
- Evolution from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and its core characteristics.
- Political campaigning strategies: Top-down vs. Bottom-up approaches.
- The changing role of the voter in modern digital campaigning.
- Comparative analysis of Obama’s and McCain’s online campaign strategies.
- Digital fundraising mechanisms and their effectiveness.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Four “key characteristics of web 2.0”
The book “web 2.0 for schools” by Julia Davies and Guy Merchant defines the web 2.0 by four “key characteristics of web 2.0”. A single website of web 2.0 does not have to show all of these aspects.
3.1.1 Presence
Users of a website have the possibility to create and regularly update an online identity to present themselves on the web. This is often realized through a profile that can be public or just viewable for other participants of the same website. A great example for this is Facebook.
Many famous and important people use this opportunity and so in case of the political candidates it is also an important aspect for the United States presidential election.
Summary of Chapters
1 Preface: Explains the author's personal motivation for investigating the intersection of politics and Web 2.0 during the 2008 election.
2 Introduction: Outlines the research question regarding how Web 2.0 influenced voters and campaign strategies, specifically noting the focus on Barack Obama.
3 What is web 2.0: Defines the transition to Web 2.0, detailing its characteristics like presence, modification, user-generated content, and social participation, followed by examples like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
4 The System of presidential election: Provides an overview of the U.S. election system, the two-party structure, and the results of the 2008 election.
5 Strategy of a campaign: Compares traditional Top-down campaign methods with modern Bottom-up approaches and argues for the effectiveness of a combined strategy.
6 Role of the voter: Discusses the dual role of the voter as a donor and participant, and how the internet has facilitated these activities.
7 Case study of 2008: Analyzes the specific online strategies employed by Barack H. Obama and John S. McCain during the 2008 campaign.
8 Evaluation of the Relevance for politics today and in the future: Summarizes the lasting impact of Web 2.0 on political communication and future election cycles.
9 Bibliography: Lists the sources, literature, and online resources used for the research.
Keywords
Web 2.0, presidential election, 2008, Barack Obama, John S. McCain, campaign strategy, Top-down approach, Bottom-up approach, social media, political fundraising, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, voter engagement, digital politics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper explores the role and relevance of Web 2.0 technologies, such as social media and interactive websites, during the 2008 United States presidential election.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the transformation of political communication, the shift from static to dynamic web interaction, different campaign strategies, and the methods used for voter mobilization and fundraising.
What is the main objective of the study?
The objective is to explain how Web 2.0 influences campaign strategies and to determine if the increased digital involvement of voters actually changed the nature of political power in American elections.
What research methodology does the author use?
The author employs a descriptive and analytical approach, combining literature review on Web 2.0 theory with a comparative case study of the 2008 presidential campaign candidates.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The body covers the definition of Web 2.0, the U.S. electoral system, campaign management strategies (Top-down/Bottom-up), and detailed analyses of how Obama and McCain utilized online platforms.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The work is defined by terms such as Web 2.0, digital campaign strategy, Obama, McCain, and voter engagement.
Why was the "Bottom-up" approach considered a key element of the Obama campaign?
It allowed the campaign to foster a sense of community and solidarity among supporters, which helped significantly with small-scale fundraising and volunteer mobilization.
Did the author find that Web 2.0 replaced traditional political strategies?
No, the author concludes that while Web 2.0 added new layers, a "combined approach" remains necessary because central control by the campaign organization remains vital for success.
What role did the "Action Center" on Obama's website play?
It served as a hub that empowered volunteers, provided them with organizational tools, and proofed the campaign's "grassroots" image while keeping the overall effort organized.
- Citar trabajo
- Frederik Gossen (Autor), 2010, Relevance of web 2.0 for the United States presidential election in 2008, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/167919
