Connective Democracy: A New Approach to Fighting Political Divisiveness

Abstract

This special issue explores connective democracy, a new theoretical approach to fighting and understanding political polarization and divisiveness online. Connective democracy asks scholars to think about solutions that bridge societal and political divides, particularly on social media. Our collection of six articles theorizes connective democracy and applies the theoretical concept to global situations, such as nurturing freedom of speech in Myanmar (Burma) and discussions of a new constitution in Chile. The articles in this special issue also consider how connective democracy is useful for understanding current problems related to polarization, such as misinformation and online vitriol, as well as how social media affordances support connective democracy. This body of work contributes to our understanding of how to deal with one of the most challenging problems facing democracy today, rampant polarization and divisiveness online.