Hypothesis

Types of political participation Voting, donating to political campaigns, running for office, writing petitions, boycotting, joining unions, demonstrating, sit-ins, blockades, and physical protest.
Why do people engage in political participation? Political participation is a last resort. People turn to it when other problem-solving methods — such as markets or community networks — fail to deliver what they expect.
Differences and similarities between social movements and interest groups Both aim to influence government policy. However, social movements are loosely organised with no formal membership and use unconventional tactics such as protests and demonstrations. Interest groups are formally organised with clear membership structures and mainly use conventional methods like lobbying. For example, Greenpeace is part of the environmental movement but also operates as an interest group, while Occupy Wall Street is a purely social movement.
Differences and similarities between interest groups and political parties Both seek to influence government and act as channels between society and government. However, interest groups only seek to influence government from the outside, whereas political parties aim to become the government by winning elections. For example, a trade union is an interest group, while the Conservative Party is a political party.
How have ICTs influenced political participation? ICTs have made political participation easier and cheaper. They give previously marginalised groups a voice, allow people to participate without being in the same location, and help less well-funded groups bypass expensive traditional media. However, social media can also cause ideological polarisation by allowing people to only consume information that matches their own views.

Annotators

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