The Routledge Companion to Digital Media and Democracy
New York; London: Routledge (2026), xxii, 475 pp.
Contains index
Series: Routledge Media and Cultural Studies Companions
ISBN 978‑1‑032‑76209‑8 (pbk); 978‑1‑003‑47757‑0 (ebook)
"A comprehensive collection that offers an overview of digital technologies and democratic practice, this Companion explores the topic of digital media and democracy from a historically rich and socio-culturally broad perspective. Edited by one of the foremost leaders in the field, Zizi Papacharissi, this cutting-edge collection outlines the current state of theory and research in the field and maps out trajectories for future scholarship and study. Contributors explore how a variety of digital technologies afford democratic practices, examine different genres of social media, consider networked platforms, contemplate the ways in which platforms are presently morphing into mediascapes of the future, including related issues such as algorithmic bias, data justice, predatory practices online, and the role of AI, as well as other digitally enabled behaviors that often liberate and confine at the same time. Championing global and cross-cultural diversity and complexity throughout, the Companion highlights the lessons learned from the technologies of the past and the challenges presented by contemporary and future technologies, and imagines new democratic practices and digital tropes of participation that may emerge in the future." (Publisher description)
1 Introduction / Zizi Papacharissi, 1
FOUNDATIONS & THEORY, 15
2 Together We Can Move Mountains: Understanding the Power of Social Media Networks to Shape Democratic Deliberations / Brooke Foucault Welles, Sagar Kumar, and Sharaj Kunjar, 17
3 Emotion, Digital Media, and Democracy / Johana Kotišová and Karin Wahl Jorgensen, 33
4 The Privatization of Public Discourse: Social Media Platforms’ Challenges to Democracy / Raquel Recuero and Camilla Quesada Tavares, 44
5 The Transnational Public Sphere in the Context of Global Challenges—Promises and Threats of Digital Media to Democratic Governance / Barbara Pfetsch, Curd Knüpfer, and Annett Heft, 54
6 Digitalizing Democracy in Africa: Interrogating Shortcomings and Exploring Opportunities for Enhanced Participation / Theodora Dame Adjin Tettey and Michael Etrue, 65
7 Technosocial Imaginaries and the Climate Crisis / Adrienne Russell, 77
8 Digital Ressentiment, Polarization, and the Neoliberal Logics of Pain / Megan Boler, 88
9 Polarization and Connection in the Digital Age / Natalie Jomini Stroud, 106
10 From Cyberdemocracy to Cyberautocracy: The Shifting Political and Mediated Landscapes in the Arab World / Sahar Khamis, 116
11 The Impact of AI on Democracy / Yin Yang, Timilehin Durotoye, and Homero Gil de Zúñiga, 124
PRACTICES: ENGAGEMENT, PARTICIPATION, AND VOICE, 137
12 What Is Gone and What Remains in the Research on Digital Engagement? / Andrew Chadwick, 139
13 Feature, Not Bug: Toward a Theoretical Framework for Online Incivility / Patrícia Rossini, 150
14 When Participation Threatens Democracy: The Case of Anti Abortion Influencers / Zelly C. Martin and Samuel C. Woolley, 160
15 Democracy “Inside Out”: On Far Right Refracted Publics in Brazil / Letícia Maria Costa da Nóbrega Cesarino, Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento, and Paulo Fonsecavi, 171
16 Misinformed or Uninformed: Scalable Interventions for a Low Knowledge Citizenry / Dhavan V. Shah, Sijia Yang, and Michael Wagner, 182
17 News Avoidance and Digital Inequalities in News Use / Antonis Kalogeropoulos, 194
PRACTICES: TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, AND SOCIAL CHANGE, 203
18 Re Stack tionary: The Infrastructural Turn in Far Right Digital Media / Reed Van Schenck, 205
19 Virality and Reversal: How Right Wing Social Movements Co Opt and Manipulate Digital Networks / Meredith L. Pruden and Caitlin Apone, 216
20 Using Technology to Drive Social Change: Dark Participation and Social Movements in Brazil / Josephine Lukito and Joao V. S. Ozawa, 228
21 Revisiting Recreancy / Christy Khoury and Calvin Cousin, 239
22 Legitimating Resistance: Empowering Pro Democratic Journalism through Alternative News / Elliott Edsall and Matt Carlson, 248
23 Shifting the Narrative: Digital Journalism Startups as Catalysts of Social Change / Alfred Hermida and Mary Lynn Young, 258
24 Online Hate Speech: Catalysts, Challenges, and Paths to Social Change in Democratic Societies / Raluca Buturoiu and Nicoleta Corbu, 269
25 Technology Affordances and Collective Actions: Notes on the Paradoxical Influence of Social Media on Protest Movements in South America / Karen Gheza, Marcelo Santos, and Sebastián Valenzuela, 280
PRACTICES: DIGITAL POLITICS, POLICY & DEVELOPMENT, 293
26 The Bannon Doctrine: Network Insurrectionism and Democratic Backsliding / Marco Bastos and Olívia Freitas, 295
27 The Making of Misinformed Choice: Digital Media, Democracy, and New Challenges to Electoral Practices in Asia / Nishant Shah and Anushree Majumdar, 306
28 Democratic Values and Practices in the Age of Disinformation, Social Media, and AI / José Emilio García, Norma Elva Chávez, and Saiph Savage, 318
29 Reimagining Local News and Information Ecosystems for Today’s Democracy / Andrea Lorenz, 330
30 Empirical Perspectives on Digital Media and Democracy and Implications for Alternative Platform Governance / Philipp Lorenz Spreen, 340
31 Ethiopia’s Civil War and Patterns of Exclusion in Global Content Moderation Regimes / Kirubel Tadesse and Samantha Bradshaw, 349
32 Beyond Token Democracy: AI, Self Determination, and the Question of Inclusive Global Regulation / Scott Timcke and Herman Wasserman, 362
33 #RejectFinanceBill2024: Gen Z’s Social Media Activism, Democracy, and Governance in Kenya / Fredrick Ogenga, 377
FUTURES, 401
34 Digital Media and Democracy: Coping with Ambivalence / Cristian Vaccari, 403
35 How Social Media Contribute to Democratic Erosion / Jesper Strömbäck and Mathilda Åkerlund, 415
36 Networked Repetition and Grassroots Struggles for Alternative Digital Futures / Guobin Yang, 428
37 Future Proofing Emerging Technologies (Artificial Intelligence) in Sub Saharan African Democracy / Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam, 439
38 Feeling Feminist Futures in Digital Environments / Margreth Lünenborg and Ana Makhashvili, 452
FOUNDATIONS & THEORY, 15
2 Together We Can Move Mountains: Understanding the Power of Social Media Networks to Shape Democratic Deliberations / Brooke Foucault Welles, Sagar Kumar, and Sharaj Kunjar, 17
3 Emotion, Digital Media, and Democracy / Johana Kotišová and Karin Wahl Jorgensen, 33
4 The Privatization of Public Discourse: Social Media Platforms’ Challenges to Democracy / Raquel Recuero and Camilla Quesada Tavares, 44
5 The Transnational Public Sphere in the Context of Global Challenges—Promises and Threats of Digital Media to Democratic Governance / Barbara Pfetsch, Curd Knüpfer, and Annett Heft, 54
6 Digitalizing Democracy in Africa: Interrogating Shortcomings and Exploring Opportunities for Enhanced Participation / Theodora Dame Adjin Tettey and Michael Etrue, 65
7 Technosocial Imaginaries and the Climate Crisis / Adrienne Russell, 77
8 Digital Ressentiment, Polarization, and the Neoliberal Logics of Pain / Megan Boler, 88
9 Polarization and Connection in the Digital Age / Natalie Jomini Stroud, 106
10 From Cyberdemocracy to Cyberautocracy: The Shifting Political and Mediated Landscapes in the Arab World / Sahar Khamis, 116
11 The Impact of AI on Democracy / Yin Yang, Timilehin Durotoye, and Homero Gil de Zúñiga, 124
PRACTICES: ENGAGEMENT, PARTICIPATION, AND VOICE, 137
12 What Is Gone and What Remains in the Research on Digital Engagement? / Andrew Chadwick, 139
13 Feature, Not Bug: Toward a Theoretical Framework for Online Incivility / Patrícia Rossini, 150
14 When Participation Threatens Democracy: The Case of Anti Abortion Influencers / Zelly C. Martin and Samuel C. Woolley, 160
15 Democracy “Inside Out”: On Far Right Refracted Publics in Brazil / Letícia Maria Costa da Nóbrega Cesarino, Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento, and Paulo Fonsecavi, 171
16 Misinformed or Uninformed: Scalable Interventions for a Low Knowledge Citizenry / Dhavan V. Shah, Sijia Yang, and Michael Wagner, 182
17 News Avoidance and Digital Inequalities in News Use / Antonis Kalogeropoulos, 194
PRACTICES: TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, AND SOCIAL CHANGE, 203
18 Re Stack tionary: The Infrastructural Turn in Far Right Digital Media / Reed Van Schenck, 205
19 Virality and Reversal: How Right Wing Social Movements Co Opt and Manipulate Digital Networks / Meredith L. Pruden and Caitlin Apone, 216
20 Using Technology to Drive Social Change: Dark Participation and Social Movements in Brazil / Josephine Lukito and Joao V. S. Ozawa, 228
21 Revisiting Recreancy / Christy Khoury and Calvin Cousin, 239
22 Legitimating Resistance: Empowering Pro Democratic Journalism through Alternative News / Elliott Edsall and Matt Carlson, 248
23 Shifting the Narrative: Digital Journalism Startups as Catalysts of Social Change / Alfred Hermida and Mary Lynn Young, 258
24 Online Hate Speech: Catalysts, Challenges, and Paths to Social Change in Democratic Societies / Raluca Buturoiu and Nicoleta Corbu, 269
25 Technology Affordances and Collective Actions: Notes on the Paradoxical Influence of Social Media on Protest Movements in South America / Karen Gheza, Marcelo Santos, and Sebastián Valenzuela, 280
PRACTICES: DIGITAL POLITICS, POLICY & DEVELOPMENT, 293
26 The Bannon Doctrine: Network Insurrectionism and Democratic Backsliding / Marco Bastos and Olívia Freitas, 295
27 The Making of Misinformed Choice: Digital Media, Democracy, and New Challenges to Electoral Practices in Asia / Nishant Shah and Anushree Majumdar, 306
28 Democratic Values and Practices in the Age of Disinformation, Social Media, and AI / José Emilio García, Norma Elva Chávez, and Saiph Savage, 318
29 Reimagining Local News and Information Ecosystems for Today’s Democracy / Andrea Lorenz, 330
30 Empirical Perspectives on Digital Media and Democracy and Implications for Alternative Platform Governance / Philipp Lorenz Spreen, 340
31 Ethiopia’s Civil War and Patterns of Exclusion in Global Content Moderation Regimes / Kirubel Tadesse and Samantha Bradshaw, 349
32 Beyond Token Democracy: AI, Self Determination, and the Question of Inclusive Global Regulation / Scott Timcke and Herman Wasserman, 362
33 #RejectFinanceBill2024: Gen Z’s Social Media Activism, Democracy, and Governance in Kenya / Fredrick Ogenga, 377
FUTURES, 401
34 Digital Media and Democracy: Coping with Ambivalence / Cristian Vaccari, 403
35 How Social Media Contribute to Democratic Erosion / Jesper Strömbäck and Mathilda Åkerlund, 415
36 Networked Repetition and Grassroots Struggles for Alternative Digital Futures / Guobin Yang, 428
37 Future Proofing Emerging Technologies (Artificial Intelligence) in Sub Saharan African Democracy / Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam, 439
38 Feeling Feminist Futures in Digital Environments / Margreth Lünenborg and Ana Makhashvili, 452
