Fandom and Polarization in Online Political Discussion: From Pop Culture to Politics

Barnes, Renee

This book takes an innovative fan studies approach to investigating one of the most pressing issues of contemporary times: polarization. Drawing on three years of observational data from Facebook political discussions, as well as interviews and survey responses from those heavily engaged in online political debate, Barnes argues a fan-like investment in a political perspective initiates and drives polarization. She calls on us to move beyond the traditional Habermasian approach to political discussion, which privileges the rational and deliberative, and instead focus on how we perform the self. How we behave in these online debates is part of a performance, a performance of self, in which an affective investment in a particular political perspective drives a need to contribute, refute and ‘other’ those opposing. Because this performance stems from an emotional basis, judgments and contributions are often not rational or factual, but rather a form of establishing and defending an identity.

Details

Published by: Palgrave Macmillan

Publication Date: 2023-12-13

Format: Paperback

ISBN-13: 9783031140419

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-14039-6

Dimensions: 210cm x148cm

Pages: 164