Politicking Online

Price: $25.95  

Subtitle: The Transformation of Election Campaign Communications
Editor: Costas Panagopoulos
Subject: Public Policy, Media
Paper ISBN: 978-0-8135-4489-2
Cloth ISBN: 978-0-8135-4488-5
Pages: 256 pages
Publication Date: May 2009

Praise for Politicking Online

“A very valuable addition to the literature on political campaigns and communications, serving an important role in addressing the intersection of technology and human behavior.”—Paul M.A. Baker, director of research, Center for Advanced Communications Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

"Politicking Online is a comprehensive, thoughtful, and idea-provoking survey of the current state of political communication on the Internet and other new media venues...A useful reference for the scholar and student as well as a very informative read for citizens in our rapidly evolving e-democracy."—David D. Perlmutter, School of Journalism & Mass Communications

Of the many groundbreaking developments in the 2008 presidential election, the most important may well be the use of the Internet. In Politicking Online contributors explorethe impact of technology for electioneering purposes, from running campaigns andincreasing representation to ultimately strengthening democracy. The book reveals how social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are used in campaigns along withe-mail, SMS text messaging, and mobile phones to help inform, target, mobilize, and communicate with voters.

While the Internet may have transformed the landscape of modern political campaigns throughout the world, Costas Panagopoulos reminds readers that officials and campaign workers need to adapt to changing circumstances, know the limits of their methods, and combine new technologies with more traditional techniques to achieve an overall balance.

Costas Panagopoulos is an assistant professor of political science and director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy and the Master’s Program in Elections and Campaign Management at Fordham University. He has provided political analysis for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, CBS, NBC, and CNN.