Policy Press

Activists in the Data Stream

The Practices of Daily Grassroots Politics in Southern Europe

By Alice Mattoni and Diego Ceccobelli

Published

May 2, 2024

Page count

256 pages

ISBN

978-1529239638

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

May 2, 2024

Page count

256 pages

ISBN

978-1529239539

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Activists in the Data Stream
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Available Open Access digitally under CC-BY-ND licence

This book pulls back the curtain on the link between activism, media and technology in the quiet times of politics when people are not protesting.

Introducing the novel concept of the ‘data stream', it explores the intricate ways in which activists interact daily with various types of data and how they navigate the impact of digitalization and datafication on today’s grassroots politics.

Through rich, empirical data from Greece, Spain and Italy, Activists in the Data Stream makes a nuanced contribution to our understanding of activists’ daily political engagement in an ever-changing media and political landscape.

“What is political activism like when the social media rush has evaporated? How do activists cope with social media pressures? Mattoni and Ceccobelli’s book provides original, sharp and well-grounded answers to these questions.” Nick Couldry, London School of Economics and Political Science

Alice Mattoni is Associate Professor in the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Bologna.

Diego Ceccobelli is Senior Assistant Professor in the Department of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Milan.

1. Everyday Grassroots Politics in the Data Stream

2. Activists’ Quest for Information Amidst Data Abundance

3. The Multiple Patterns Towards Visibility During Latency Stages

4. Algorithmic Visibility and Activists' Management of Reputation

5. The Accelerated Times of Activists’ Organizational Work

6. The Creation of Connections Between Activists and Their Audiences

7. The Fragile Interactions Between Activists and Journalists

8. Activists’ Practices and Agency in the Data Stream

9. Methodological Appendix