This talk addresses the technical infrastructures, political institutions, and social practices that shape the contemporary electoral process in the United States. I provide a theoretical overview of the role of artifacts in shaping the practices of citizenship and detail the history of networked technologies in campaigning over the last twenty years as they have become incorporated into a repertoire of electoral practices among political consultants. Through consideration of the 2003-2004 Howard Dean campaign and 2007-2008 Obama campaign I demonstrate how peer networks supported by social media are structured by formal campaign organizations. I conclude by assessing the implications of these technical practices for democratic citizenship.
Slides:
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About the speaker:
Daniel Kreiss is a Ph.D. candidate and the Rebele First Amendment Fellow in Stanford’s Department of Communication. Daniel's dissertation research focuses on new media and contemporary political practice with an eye towards documenting shifts in the political field over the last decade. A paper developed from this research is forthcoming from the Journal of Information Technology and Politics, and Daniel has also published on African American social movements and technology. In addition to pursuing this scholarly work, Daniel serves as the Development Director for Catalytic Communities, an open-source platform for global social innovation, and was previously the Senior Director of Programs and Development for VoterWatch, an online governmental transparency initiative. Prior to pursuing a Ph.D. Daniel was a political journalist and blogger, including covering the 2004 Democratic primaries and the Democratic National Convention, and has a decade of experience in nonprofit management. Daniel holds a B.A. in Political Science from Bates College and an M.A. in Communication (Journalism) from Stanford University.
Contact information:
Daniel Kreiss
Department of Communication
Stanford University
dkreiss@stanford.edu