Author(s):
Jeremy Crampton* - Georgia State University
Abstract:
This paper examines the development over the last two election cycles of new forms of political participation. These forms include the explosive growth of progressive blogs such as MoveOn.org, DailyKos and Eschaton as centers of activism, fundraising and political pressure. Less noticed but potentially even more important are the development of new spatial media (the geospatial web or geoweb) which brings together free and open source software (FOSS) and web-based mapping tools for analysis of trends, get out the vote (GOTV) and political organization. After giving a brief introduction and history of these developments I shall argue that despite continued declines in voting participation in politics, Americans are increasingly participating in the consumption and production of politics online, with implications for new forms of governance and activism both nationally and locally.
