Case Study Assignment: New Media as a Tool for Political Participation: The Debating Europe Case

Maria Strati and George Vitopoulos conducted a study about the impact of new media on political participation. The study focused on European Elections 2014 and based on the case of “Debating Europe“.

Abstract: New media technologies have been integrated also in the political discourse since internet users may produce consume and share information. The study examined the role of new media technologies in the active civic participation focusing on the Debating Europe case, a project that aims to amplify the active civic participation in Europe. The online political debate is also influenced by other forces, such as political stakeholders, market, civil society organizations and the profile of people participating in online political debates. Being familiar with the ICT technologies does not guarantee the active civic participation. However, it could be the medium that may empower citizens to be part of the decision-making process.

Keywords: New media technologies, social media, civic participation, Debating Europe, politics, European Union, Facebook, Twitter, blogosphere.

Find the paper HERE.

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Debating Europe: I’m debating what about you?

Debating Europe is a platform that provides us a unique opportunity to exchange OUR ideas with Europe’s leaders. The main aim is to be encouraged a strong and genuine conversation between European policy makers and citizens, and then having experts respond with feedback. The goal of the project is to offer support and critical reactions to citizens’ ideas and mobilize as much as possible the “back and forth discussion” between citizens and the experts who take part in the project.

The debate was divided into five “channels”, based on the theme:

• Growth Europe: Looking beyond the eurozone crisis
• Green Europe: Ensuring a sustainable European economy
• Tech Europe: Building an innovative economy
• Global Europe: Europe in a new world order
• Future Europe: Ideas for a long-term vision for Europe

Debating Europe Schools is a new section of the platform which aim to give students the chance to pose questions to policymakers, debate with students across Europe and become aware of  EU. The platform is cooperating with schools and colleges in all the EU member-states to launch a series of online debates.

Find more information and join the debate now HERE!!!

Partners:

• Friends of Europe
• Europe’s World
• European Parliament
• Microsoft Gallup
• Skype
• ING
• European Students’ Union
• European Youth Parliament
• JEF
• Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
• ThinkYoung
• European Movement
• Youth of European Nationalities
• Citizens for Europe
• European Student Think Tank
• European Disability Forum
• OneEurope
• European Youth Press
• Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU)
• The Berlin Debating Union (BDU)
• UNICA
• AEGEE