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Information Technology and Political Engagement: Mixed Evidence from Uganda
[journal article]
Abstract
This study integrates three related field experiments to learn about how information communications technology (ICT) innovations can affect who communicates with politicians. We implemented a nationwide experiment in Uganda following a smaller-scale framed field experiment that suggested that ICTs c... view more
This study integrates three related field experiments to learn about how information communications technology (ICT) innovations can affect who communicates with politicians. We implemented a nationwide experiment in Uganda following a smaller-scale framed field experiment that suggested that ICTs can lead to significant "flattening": marginalized populations used short message service (SMS) based communication at relatively higher rates compared to existing political communication channels. We find no evidence for these effects in the national experiment. Instead, participation rates are extremely low, and marginalized populations engage at especially low rates. We examine possible reasons for these differences between the more controlled and the scaled-up experiments. The evidence suggests that even when citizens have issues they want to raise, technological fixes to communication deficits can be easily undercut by structural weaknesses in political systems.... view less
Keywords
Uganda; information technology; communication technology; innovation; marginality; political communication; communication medium; political participation; fringe group
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Document language
German
Publication Year
2020
Page/Pages
p. 1321-1336
Journal
The Journal of Politics : JOP, 82 (2020) 4
ISSN
1541-1338
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications