The conceptualization and measurement of political participation has been a contentious issue vibrantly debated for more than 50 years. The arrival of digital, and in particular social, media came to add important parameters to the debate about the continuous expansion of forms of participation, complicating matters further. While interest on the use of social media for political purposes is growing, the lack of a clear conceptualization of forms and modes of participation emerging from their use is inhibiting the measurement of this type of participation. The talk will focus on the challenges posed by digitally-enabled forms of political participation and on how they can be turned into an opportunity for better understanding the impact of social media on democracy.

Sponsored by the ESC's Jean Monnet Center of Excellence Grant, this lecture is part of the Center's 2017-18 Participation and Democracy Series.