Full Description
The 2020 United States presidential election was a pivotal moment, marked by a global pandemic, economic turmoil, and civil unrest. Amid these challenges, citizen engagement surged, driving record media ratings and the highest voter turnout since 1900. This book examines how these events reshaped political communication and the impact of social and cultural divides on the electoral process. Through an analysis of digital and social media's role in political discourse, the book explores how platforms like X/Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok altered civic engagement, influencing voter behavior and public perceptions. It also addresses misinformation, partisan polarization, and media consumption, showing how these factors fueled digital advocacy and contributed to the January 6th Capitol attack. By unpacking the complex intersection of digital communication and democracy, this work provides critical insights into the evolving landscape of U.S. politics and implications for future elections.
Contents
SECTION I: POLITICAL RHETORIC AND ELECTORAL ENGAGEMENT
John Allen Hendricks and Dan Schill: "Trust, Truth, and Technology: Political Communication in Polarized Times" - Randall Fowler: "Polysyndeton, Social Media, and the Presidency: Digital Culture & Rhetorical Style in the 2020 Election" - Kalah Kemp and Myrna Roberts: "Trump and Twitter: A Study of Parasocial Interaction, Identification, and Social Presence" - Emily Sauter: "The Citizen-Fan: The Impact of Social Media and Fandom on Contemporary Political Engagement Online"
SECTION II: POLITICAL MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION
Ben Wasike: "Knowledge Gaps and Misinformation: Social Media Engagement, Ideology, and Elections" - Todd R. Vogts and Jacob Groshek: "Sowing Seeds of Distrust: Investigating the Spread of Mis-and Disinformation by Exploring the Pathways for Rural Americans to News" - Tyler Martinez and Majia Nadesan: "theDonald.win: Electoral Fraud and a Nation in Crisis"
SECTION III: POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP AND POLARIZATION
Jacob Groshek and Sarah Krongard: "Streaming Entertainment into Political Pandemonium: Examining (Even More) Partisanship and Polarization in the 2020 Campaign" - Madeleine Montgomery, Freddie J. Jennings, Kathleen Coyle, Ariana Aquino, and Malloree Murdok: "The Influence of Partisan Cues on Social Media: Acceptance of the 2020 Presidential Election Results" - Xavier Scruggs and Benjamin R. Warner: "The Moderating Effect of Racial Resentment and Ambivalent Sexism on Partisanship and Thought Listing after Viewing the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate"
SECTION IV: POLITICAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Yanjun Zhao: "Shared Blindness in Filter Bubbles: Political Messages in Social Media" - Juliet Dee: "When Election Lies Go Viral: How Social Media Platforms Amplified Cable News Networks' Defamatory Comments about Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic Corporation" - Christopher J. McCollough: "Normalizing New Identities in Political Roles: An Examination of the Social Media of Pete and Chasten Buttigieg" - Joseph P. Zompetti: "Hashtag Politics: #StopTheSteal as Rhetorical Strategy"
