O0CP 2025 - Politics in the Age of the Internet

Governments, protests, voting, and communication processes are increasingly shaped by information and

communication technologies (ICTs). Do new technologies radically transform politics, or do they simply

reinforce existing patterns in citizens-governments interactions? Some scholars claim that digital platforms

and communication technologies encourage political participation and trigger substantial policy innovation.

Others, instead, fear the emergence of technologically strengthened governments and a ‘database state’.

This course examines the impact of ICTs on political behavior and considers whether the developing of these

technologies serves to reinforce, undermine or otherwise alter traditional models of political representation

and communication.

Learning objectives

The goal of this course is to understand whether ICTs are serving or breaking democratic politics. For this,

the course combines classic conceptual frameworks in political science and communication, as well as emerg ing techniques in data science to shed light on how the internet relates to 1) government; 2) political

competition; 3) civil society. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key theories, con cepts, and debates in political science and political communication surrounding digital politics and develop

critical thinking skills to evaluate the impact of digital platforms on political processes, participation, and

representation in real-world scenarios.

Equality and inclusion

This course primarily focuses on Europe and American experiences, aligning with the instructor’s areas

of research specialization. The readings for the course are sourced from high-ranking journals listed in

the TR Journal Citation Reports index, as well as books from similarly reputable publishers. While the

selection of readings aims to incorporate some diversity in terms of authors, it must be recognized that

the majority of represented authors are white men. The instructor encourages students to reflect on this

dynamic throughout the course, and alternative readings, perspectives, and strong criticism of the provided

reading list are welcomed. Each student will have the opportunity to deliver a presentation on a topic of

their interest, allowing for the inclusion of alternative perspectives and critical examination during in-class

discussions

The course evaluation rests on 3 grades:

• Class participation (10%): Students are expected to come to class and actively participate in the

debate of each class by asking questions and commenting on the presentation and readings.

• Student presentation (40%): Based on the compulsory readings, maximum 15 minutes. The topics

will be distributed during session 1. The topics of the presentations are broad enough to encourage

students to present on real-world, including local-level cases of interest.

• Final exam (50%): An essay to be submitted on TBC before midnight on the GDRIVE (do not

email it to the instructor). Name the file as follows: ”Familyname”. Late submission will not be

graded. The essay will deal with one of the following:

• Using the case of a political party or candidate in the context of the EU parliament elections or

other elections occurring during or after 2022, discuss the use, shortcomings, and effectiveness of

ICTs during the campaign (social media, websites, web-based apps, AI services, etc.).

• Using the case of an existing protest movement during 2022-24, discuss to what extent ICTs have

facilitated collective action and/or helped police and state repression.

• Using the case of an e-government initiative approved or debated in 2022-24, discuss the overall

quality, the risks and obstacles it may face, and its potential effectiveness in providing services or

facilitating citizen-government interaction.

The essay must refer to existing data and/or secondary evidence, which should be problematized and dis cussed based on the theories, concepts, and approaches presented in class. Refer to Table 1 for further details.

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Table 1: Instructions for the essay

Requirements Details

Word Length 1500 words (excludes references and appendix)

Deadline 8/12/2023, midnight (via Gdrive)

Structure a) Title and executive summary

• Introduction: problem definition and case presentation
• Main body: discussion using data/empirical material and

critical analysis

• Conclusion: summarizing main take-home messages
• References and Appendix (excluded from word count)

Evaluation Criteria a) Format, style, and referencing

• Structure (organization and formal presentation)
• Preparation and research (aim, focus, issue, summary)
• Accuracy and critical analysis