デジタルメディアと政治参加をめぐる理論的考察(<特集>現代のメディアとネットワークにおける政治参加)

抄録

The objective of this paper is to consider, from an analytical perspective, forms of political participation in the contemporary media landscape. Political communication theory faces a difficult question: how to analyze the diverse forms of political participation that use digital media. Political participation in the digital age is explained in terms of "networks." For example, Manuel Castells advocates that the development of digitalization stimulates political participation and leads to political and social changes. Though this approach is broadly accepted, the "network society" theory has been criticized because of its failure to analyze the power struggle dimension in political communication. As some critics point out, Castells has not described adequately how the new media landscape forms society, and what resistance and struggles are generated within it. This paper refers to Nick Couldry's media theory as an alternative approach. Through his original theory of media power, he describes the formation of contemporary society as constructed by media practice and media representation. According to his theoretical framework, he argues for the possibility of political participation in the formation of a neoliberal political-social order. This paper focuses into Couldry's two concepts, "voice" and "hearing," and argues that these are new analytical tools for political participation and political communication.