The Medium and the Movement: Digital Tools, Social Movement Politics, and the End of the Free Rider Problem

TLDR

The response discusses Zuckerman’s framework for participatory civics, noting that dissatisfaction with governments, a shift to post‑representative democracy, and rising participatory media are increasing visibility of civic participation while highlighting challenges of deliberation in a diverse digital public sphere. The author aims to respond to Zuckerman’s article on participatory civics. The.

Abstract

This is a response to the article by Ethan Zuckerman “New Media, New Civics?” published in this issue of Policy & Internet (2014: vol. 6, issue 2). Dissatisfaction with existing governments, a broad shift to “post‐representative democracy” and the rise of participatory media are leading toward the visibility of different forms of civic participation. Zuckerman's article offers a framework to describe participatory civics in terms of theories of change used and demands places on the participant, and examines some of the implications of the rise of participatory civics, including the challenges of deliberation in a diverse and competitive digital public sphere. Zeynep Tufekci responds.