| ID | 153772 |
| Title Proper | Architecture of political spaces |
| Other Title Information | trolls, digital media, and deweyan democracy |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | FORESTAL, JENNIFER |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The problem of trolls exemplifies the challenges of building democratic communities in the digital environment of social media. Distinguishing trolls from activists can be difficult; democratic theorists have yet to adequately address how to prevent the former while remaining open to the latter. In this article, I outline a theory of democratic politics that takes space as a central element in shaping democratic interactions. Using the work of John Dewey, I draw out two key characteristics of democratic space: boundedness and flexibility. Using these criteria, I then evaluate Kinja, Gawker Media's commenting platform, both before and after trolls attacked the site in 2014. I find that in altering its boundaries to successfully protect against trolls, Kinja introduced a new problem: a lack of flexibility that continues to affect the possibility for democratic discourse on the platform. I conclude by suggesting how this theory of democratic space might shape future research. |
| `In' analytical Note | American Political Science Review Vol. 111, No.1; Feb 2017: p.149-161 |
| Journal Source | American Political Science Review 2017-03 111, 1 |
| Key Words | Digital Media ; Architecture of Political Spaces ; Trolls ; Deweyan Democracy |