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Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change pp 1–14Cite as

Political Engagement of Individuals in the Digital Age

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Abstract

The use of digital media is becoming a prominent feature for individuals engaged as citizen in e-participation processes.

However, while research into e-participation at large has attracted much scholarly attention from various disciplines over the years, the fundamental question of why individuals engage in e-participation and how digital media triggers their engagement in processes of political engagement in the public realm is largely unaddressed.

This chapter reviews two conceptual frameworks for explaining individual engagement in politics: Firstly, the sociological theory of political engagement as promulgated by Laurent Thévenot’s work which explores why human agency, rather than social structures, determines the engagement of individuals in the political process and, secondly, the “mediatization” concept as discussed in media and communication studies whereby digital media “mediatize” engagement by shaping and framing the processes of interaction of political communication among citizens and between citizens and government.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Digital Communication, Berlin University of Digital Sciences, Berlin, Germany

    Paul Clemens Murschetz

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  1. Paul Clemens Murschetz
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Correspondence to Paul Clemens Murschetz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Former UNESCO Chair in Communication for Sustainable Social Change, University of Leuven, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Jan Servaes

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Murschetz, P.C. (2018). Political Engagement of Individuals in the Digital Age. In: Servaes, J. (eds) Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7035-8_85-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7035-8_85-1

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