About this Research Topic
The rapid evolution of social media has transformed the landscape of contemporary politics and civil engagement. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and WeChat, in addition to less censored platforms such as Redditt and Telegram, among others, have emerged as powerful tools for political mobilization, civic engagement, and the dissemination of political information. Across the globe, social media is used to express political opinions, organize protests, and mobilize support for various causes. At the same time, the emergence of social media has transformed the ways in which political figures connect with citizens, communicate political messages, and shape political narratives. However, social media has also been criticized for amplifying fake news and spreading divisive political messages.
This Research Topic seeks to examine the complex and multifaceted relationship between social media and political participation. The aim is to generate new insights, theories, and methodologies that can help navigate the complexities and opportunities of the digital sphere.
We invite original research papers, theoretical explorations, and in-depth case studies that examine social media and politics from diverse perspectives. Themes of interest for this Research Topic might include (but are not limited to) the following:
• how social media has been used by political figures
• the role of social media and online forums in political participation and engagement
• the role of social media in political mobilization, protests, and social movements
• social media as a vehicle for political communication and messaging
• the use of social media in crisis communication (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic)
• critical perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of social media for promoting social justice and inclusion in politics
• explorations of innovative social media strategies for enhancing democratic participation and civil society engagement
• the impact of social media on political attitudes and behaviors
• the influence of social media in shaping political narratives
• the power of social media in influencing political or policy change
• social media and electoral campaigns: strategies, challenges, and effects
• comparative studies of social media practices and politics across regions and cultures
• the role of bots, fake news, and disinformation in political discourse on social media
• the power dynamics of social media and the politics of visibility.
This Research Topic seeks to examine the complex and multifaceted relationship between social media and political participation. The aim is to generate new insights, theories, and methodologies that can help navigate the complexities and opportunities of the digital sphere.
We invite original research papers, theoretical explorations, and in-depth case studies that examine social media and politics from diverse perspectives. Themes of interest for this Research Topic might include (but are not limited to) the following:
• how social media has been used by political figures
• the role of social media and online forums in political participation and engagement
• the role of social media in political mobilization, protests, and social movements
• social media as a vehicle for political communication and messaging
• the use of social media in crisis communication (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic)
• critical perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of social media for promoting social justice and inclusion in politics
• explorations of innovative social media strategies for enhancing democratic participation and civil society engagement
• the impact of social media on political attitudes and behaviors
• the influence of social media in shaping political narratives
• the power of social media in influencing political or policy change
• social media and electoral campaigns: strategies, challenges, and effects
• comparative studies of social media practices and politics across regions and cultures
• the role of bots, fake news, and disinformation in political discourse on social media
• the power dynamics of social media and the politics of visibility.
Keywords: social media, politics, political participation, Twitter, communication
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
