Sandra Gonzalez Bailon

Do online interactions contribute to enhance political deliberation? What can we learn from the analysis of online discussions to create better scenarios for political participation? My current research aims to answer these questions by focusing attention on two aspects of the political process: first, the role that political discussion networks play in reinforcing the engagement of participants; and second, the collective dynamics that these interactions generate, particularly with regard to group polarisation. Networks are relevant to understand political behaviour because they channel the flow of information and shape exposure to the opinions of other individuals. This activates mechanisms of social influence that might encourage civic engagement but might also contribute to intensify preconceptions or ideological biases, particularly when connections to those who think similarly are prioritised over those linking to different opinions. My research aims at three targets: to find out whether the intensity of participation in political discussions can be explained endogenously (that is, as a function of the history of interactions) or is best explained by events taking place in the larger political background (for instance, electoral campaigns); to determine whether discussion networks promote a dialogue across ideological divides and whether the divide changes significantly over time; and, finally, to investigate whether certain features of online discussion forums (like the presence of moderators) are related to changes in the structure and dynamics of discussion networks. Ultimately, my research aims to generate evidence that allows a more informed assessment of how Internet technologies are being used to participate in the political process and determine how to best insert these technologies in decision making processes.