Online Incivility and Public Debate: Nasty Talk

ISBN-13: 9783319562728 / Angielski / Twarda / 2017 / 218 str.

Gina Masullo Chen

Opis

This book investigates what influence online incivility--through user-generated comments on news websites--has on public debate. Built on the premise that public discussions about important topics are vital to a healthy democracy, the book analyzes 3,508 online comments in order to understand what factors in comments make them more susceptible to incivility, defined as nasty remarks rife with profanity. It also examines comments for attributes of deliberation, which are discussions across difference supported by evidence and rational arguments. Using an experiment, the book shows that uncivil comments jumpstart a chain reaction, leading first to negative emotion and then to greater intention to get politically involved. Overall, Online Incivility and Public Debate: Nasty Talk argues that while incivility mars online debate, it may also spark interest in important topics and allow for positive -deliberative moments- of quality discussion.

Spis treści

Section I: Incivility and Why It Matters

Chapter 1: Introduction: Incivility in Today’s World

Chapter 2: Online Incivility and Public Discourse

Chapter 3: Nasty Talk Online

Section II: Online Incivility: Three Examples in the News

Chapter 4: Can Incivility and Deliberation Co-Exist?

Chapter 5: Analyzing Comments in the News

Section III: Incivility and Political Participation

Chapter 6: Incivility and Speaking Out

Chapter 7: Testing the “Defensive Effect”

Section IV: What This Means for Public Debate

Chapter 8: Conclusion: Where Do We Go From Here?

O autorze

Gina Masullo Chen, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the School of Journalism and Faculty Research Associate with the Engaging News Project at The University of Texas at Austin, USA. She is co-editor of Scandal in a Digital Age (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). Her research focuses on online debate.