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| Ruth Penfold-Mounce |
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| Nathan Manning |
See the abstract below:
With electoral politics no longer organised by social class,
politicians increasingly seek to relate to a broad spectrum of citizens and
part of their relatability is conjured through more casual, informal
performances aimed at cultivating authenticity. The various platforms of social
media promote forms of authentic communication by blurring the public/private
divide, creating ‘spontaneous’ and instant access to ‘real life’. This article seeks
to investigate the informalization thesis (Wouters, 2007) by applying it to data
from young people aged 16-21 years in Australia, the UK and the USA asked about
the way politicians and celebrities use social media. Findings reveal respondents’
desire for more authentic and accessible politicians, but this was in direct tension
with traditional views and expectations of politicians needing to be
professional, informed and worthy of respect. Informalization amongst
politicians is evident and welcomed by young citizens but persistent traditional
views means it also threatens their credibility.
The article draws on original data gathered by Brian D. Loader, Ariadne Vromen and Michael Xenos as part of The Civic Network Project (Grant 201300029) funded by the Spencer Foundation.
