Kenneth L. Hacker

Digital Democracy: Issues of Theory and Practice

From the Publisher: Increasing attention is being paid to the political uses of the new communication technologies. Digital Democracy offers an invaluable in-depth explanation of what issues of theory and application are most important to the emergence and development of computer-mediated communication systems for political purposes. The book provides a wide-ranging critical examination of the concept of virtual democracy as discussed in theory and as implemented in practice and policy that has been hitherto unavailable. It addresses how the Internet, World Wide Web and computer-mediated political communication are affecting democracy and focuses on the various theoretical and practical issues involved in digital democracy. Using international examples Digital Democracy attempts to connect theoretical analysis to considerations of practice and policy. Written in an accessible style it will be welcomed by all students of Media and Communication Studies.

Ethical gaps in studies of the digital divide

There are many reports about the digital divideand many discrepant interpretations of what thereports indicate. This pattern of competinganalyses, often in relation to identical datasets, has endured for a good part of the lastdecade. It is argued here that a major problemwith much of the digital divide research is afailure to include ethical concerns as anexplicit part of analyzing and interpretingdigital divide gaps. If researchers includemore recognition of ethics with their findingsabout divide gaps, it is likely that they willproduce better research and findings as well asmore defensible linkages between study reportsand policy deliberations.

Components of Candidate Images: Statistical Analysis of the Issue-Persona Dichotomy in the Presidential Campaign of 1996.

For several decades candidate image studies have typically conceptualized and operationalized candidate images as source credibility traits or persona impressions. Candidate issue positions have been minimized in such research and excluded from the candidate image construct. Thus, candidate images have been treated as clusters of persona impressions only, implying that issue perceptions are unimportant in the formation of candidate images. Accordingly, a dichotomy emerged which split candidate image as candidate persona impressions from candidate issue positions, treating the latter as separate and independent determinants of vote. Later research indicated that candidate image content was largely unknown by voters, and some researchers argued that candidate images most likely include both issue and persona impressions. The dichotomy persisted, however, because of the assumption that voters process candidate persona impressions more than candidate issue positions perceptions and that these two types of perceptions are orthogonal. Employing panel data from a random sample of community members and applying correlational and structural equation modeling procedures, the researchers found that the data do not support the issue‐persona dichotomy assumptions. Instead, they lend credence to a more cognitive view of candidate images. Such a view conceptualizes candidate images as integrated structures of issue perceptions, persona perceptions, and whatever other kinds of perceptions are important to particular voters in particular elections.

Issues in predicting user acceptance of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) in inter‐university classroom discussion as an alternative to face‐to‐face interaction

This study sought to identify specific variables which appear to predict acceptance of a long distance, multi‐campus form of computer‐mediated education. Results indicate that initial acceptance of the medium as an alternative to face‐to‐face interaction is best predicted by how well CMC added to the courses in which the students were enrolled. Later CMC acceptance is best predicted by (1) initial CMC acceptance, (2) how well CMC added to the course, and (3) initial level of CMC inhibition.

The Digital Divide for Hispanic Americans

This study reports the data analysis of a probability sample of Anglo and Hispanic adults. The research objective guiding the study concerned discovering differences there may be in Internet usage between Anglo and Hispanic Americans. Twelve hypotheses were derived from past research and tested in this study. The findings indicate that Anglo Americans are more likely than Hispanic Americans to use the Internet and are higher on net usage frequency after becoming users. The data also show that Anglo Americans are more likely than Hispanic Americans to achieve interpersonal communication benefits from using the Internet. No significant differences were found for political communication benefits between the two groups. We also found significant ethnic differences in skills necessary for using the Internet. The process of testing these hypotheses provides more clarity of what contributes to the gaps between Hispanic and Anglo Americans in using the Internet. Overall, it appears that income, education, and ethnicity are all important to Internet usage, but in specific and differing ways.

Employee Attitudes Regarding Electronic Mail Policies A Case Study

This study investigates employee attitudes toward e-mail and e-mail policies through a case study of e-mail users at a major university libmry. The study employs a triangulation methodology (interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups) to determine how the employees use e-mail, what problems they have with it, and how they feel about policies for e-mail management. Results indicate strong differences in attitudes based on job position (faculty, professional, and classified) and frequency of e-mail usage. Data indicate that those who use e-mail most frequently have more favorable attitudes about it than less frequent users. They are more opposed to policies that regulate their e-mail communication. Qualitative data indicate that employees generally prefer guidelines to restrictive policies for e-mail communication.

Uses of computer‐mediated political communication in the 1992 presidential campaign: A content analysis of the Bush, Clinton and Perot computer lists

This article presents a content analysis of three computer‐mediated communication (CMC) networks used for political discussion during the 1992 Presidential election campaign. Data indicate that the main use of computer networks in the campaign was to assert personal opinions about the candidates, issues, and the election. Other uses were talking about ones own life and experiences, telling others what they should be doing, and posting information for others to read. Significant differences were found between the three campaigns for uses of these computer networks. The Clinton network was used more than the other two for posting information. The Perot network was used more than the others for asserting opinions. This study indicates that voters have specific functions for the use of computer networks as new channels of political communication. Future research should examine what groups of voters use these networks the most and how such use affects candidate image formation. Suggestions are offered for the...

Digital Disempowerment in a Network Society

The objective of this article is to examine how the inequalities of participation in network society governmental systems affect the extent that individuals are empowered or disempowered within those systems. By using published data in conjunction with theories of communication, a critical secondary data analysis was conducted. This critical analysis argues that the Digital Divide involves issues concerning how democracy and democratization are related to computer-mediated communication (CMC) and its role in political communication. As the roles of CMC/ICT systems expand in political communication, existing Digital Divide gaps are likely to contribute to structural inequalities in political participation. These inequalities work against democracy and political empowerment for some people, while at the same time producing expanded opportunities of political participation for others. This raises concerns about who benefits the most from electronic government in emerging network societies.

The Potential of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) for Political Structuration

Abstract An argument is presented here for a political structuration approach for the study of digital democracy. This argument attempts to demonstrate that political structuration can occur as users of CMC construct new forms of political interaction that produce new rules and resources for political communication. While such changes appear to occur mainly at micro levels of interaction, their cumulative effects are argued to be capable of initiating significant changes in social systems. When engaged in political structuration, citizens are more likely to increase their political efficacy as well as their active role in a democratic system. While researchers have not yet found any substantial causal links yet between CMC and political participation, it is theoretically possible to encourage such links by showing how specific political uses of communication technology can facilitate political agency.

Network democracy and the Fourth World

Abstract This analysis builds on the arguments of Manuel Castells, Jan Van Dijk and others who describe the emergence of network societies and networked global communication, economics, and political communication. Research has shown that those who are building communication networks that have political significance are also able to create new contacts, retrieve useful political information, distribute and discuss retrieved information with others, and establish contacts with various centers of power that provide them with new channels of access and political interactivity. Castells and others argue that those who are left out of the network society and important political networks are members of a Fourth World of inequalities, growing poverty, and sustained disempowerment. In this paper, the study of digital democracy and networks of political communication is related to what Van Dijk calls polycentric politics and what Castells describes as variable political geometry. From the concepts of network society and digital democracy, a concept of network democracy is proposed. With this concept, the argument is made that the structurational aspects of digital democracy can be used to establish ICT systems that help new participants become part of networked power structures rather than serving to extend the participation of those who are already involved in systems of empowerment.