Connecticut College Digital Commons @ Connecticut College Government and International Relations Honors Government and International Relations Papers Department Spring 5-2-2008 Smart People, Stupid Networks: The nI ternet’s Equalizing Influence on Political Discourse and Engagement Joseph D. Backer Connecticut College,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/govhp Recommended Citation Backer, Joseph D., "Smart People, Stupid Networks: The nI ternet’s Equalizing Influence on Political Discourse and Engagement" (2008). Government and International Relations Honors Papers. 6. http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/govhp/6 This Honors Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Government and International Relations Department at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Government and International Relations Honors Papers by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. Smart People, Stupid Networks: The Internet’s Equalizing Influence on Political Discourse and Engagement An Honors Thesis Presented By Joseph Backer To the Department of Government in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Honors in the Major Field Connecticut College New London, Connecticut May 2, 2008 Abstract This study explores the impact and influences of the Internet on formalized political discourse and engagement during the last decade. It traces the traditions and conventions of predominantly top-down and elite-dominated methods of information dissemination and citizen mobilization, beginning with newspapers at the turn of the nineteenth century and progressing to the professionalization and specialization experienced during the twentieth century.