28871

SoSe 22: Concepts of citizenship under conditions of social media in Germany and Russia

Martin Emmer

Kommentar

Internet and social media are discussed as mobilizing factors for citizen participation in society and politics. Research in this field contributes to a better understanding of the interrelation of digital media use on one hand and cognitions, norms, values and behaviors of citizens on the other. However, most of this research is being conducted in Western democracies, and conditions for possible positive effects of social media on citizens and citizen participation may be much different in other parts of the world. In this seminar, we will analyze the case of Russia, which has gained much in relevance with the war against Ukraine started on February 24, 2022. In the context of the war, many are surprised to learn that there seems to be a relatively high level of support for the current regime, little organized opposition against war and little political activism in general – although internet distribution and social media use are high in the country. One important explanation for this is, for sure, the high (and rising) level of repression in Russia, but it is very likely that attitudinal and identity-related factors play a role in this context as well. Thus, the guiding questions for the seminar are: What are the differences in digital media use, political orientations, self-perception as citizens and participatory behavior in both countries? How do these factors contribute to different patterns of citizenship? Can these factors explain the very different state of citizen participation and democratization in both societies? Schließen