POLNET

Political Participation and the Internet in Spain 

Look at our new web

democracia.uab.cat/

This project analyses the impact of the Internet use on political participation in Spain.

The first objective is a  descriptive analysis of online political participation. This analysis includes the modes of online participation, the types of citizens that opt for these new forms of participation, as well as their relation to other traditional (ofline) forms of political participation.

The second objective is the empirical analysis of some explanatory hypotheses discussed in the literature regarding the impact of the Internet on participation. The project investigates in detail the nature of the relation that ties Internet access and use with participation. It explores the effect this new tool can have on the distinct explanatory models of participation (socioeconomic, psychological, rational, etc.). More specifically we analyse the effect of the Internet on attitudes and political values, as a means for communication and obtaining political information, and as a tool used for mobilization by political organizations.

Finally, the third objective of the project is the analysis of the impact of the Internet on inequalities in political participation.

This project is financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SEJ2007-60082).

Main goals and conclusions (in Spanish)