The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries
This study investigates the role of the Internet in civic participation inequality across 108 countries. Merging individual-level survey data from the 2016 Gallup World Poll with country-level indices, we conduct multilevel analyses to answer three broader sets of questions: (1)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2021
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/11314 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/146861 |
| _version_ | 1826123176019492864 |
|---|---|
| author | Ahmed, Saifuddin Cho, Jaeho Jaidka, Kokil Eichstaedt, Johannes C. Ungar, Lyle H. |
| author2 | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information |
| author_facet | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Ahmed, Saifuddin Cho, Jaeho Jaidka, Kokil Eichstaedt, Johannes C. Ungar, Lyle H. |
| author_sort | Ahmed, Saifuddin |
| collection | NTU |
| description | This study investigates the role of the Internet in civic participation inequality across 108 countries. Merging individual-level survey data from the 2016 Gallup World Poll with country-level indices, we conduct multilevel analyses to answer three broader sets of questions: (1) Does access to the Internet increase the likelihood of civic participation? (2) Does Internet access amplify or lessen socioeconomic stratification in civic participation? (3) Do press freedom and government intervention as contextual factors shape the role of the Internet in civic participation inequality? The findings suggest that Internet access increases the likelihood of civic participation while it also deepens socioeconomic stratification in participation. Cross-level interactions unveil that the intervening role of the Internet remains unaffected by press freedom, but government intervention through the promotion of ICT use can help control the growing inequality. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for political inequality research and the applied global significance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:00:22Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/146861 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:00:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1468612023-03-05T15:58:19Z The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries Ahmed, Saifuddin Cho, Jaeho Jaidka, Kokil Eichstaedt, Johannes C. Ungar, Lyle H. Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Social sciences::Communication Civic Participation Government Intervention This study investigates the role of the Internet in civic participation inequality across 108 countries. Merging individual-level survey data from the 2016 Gallup World Poll with country-level indices, we conduct multilevel analyses to answer three broader sets of questions: (1) Does access to the Internet increase the likelihood of civic participation? (2) Does Internet access amplify or lessen socioeconomic stratification in civic participation? (3) Do press freedom and government intervention as contextual factors shape the role of the Internet in civic participation inequality? The findings suggest that Internet access increases the likelihood of civic participation while it also deepens socioeconomic stratification in participation. Cross-level interactions unveil that the intervening role of the Internet remains unaffected by press freedom, but government intervention through the promotion of ICT use can help control the growing inequality. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for political inequality research and the applied global significance. Published version 2021-03-12T04:00:46Z 2021-03-12T04:00:46Z 2020 Journal Article Ahmed, S., Cho, J., Jaidka, K., Eichstaedt, J. C. & Ungar, L. H. (2020). The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries. International Journal of Communication, 14, 1542-1563. 1932-8036 https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/11314 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/146861 14 1542 1563 en International Journal of Communication © 2020 The Author(s). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd). Available at http://ijoc.org. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Social sciences::Communication Civic Participation Government Intervention Ahmed, Saifuddin Cho, Jaeho Jaidka, Kokil Eichstaedt, Johannes C. Ungar, Lyle H. The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title | The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title_full | The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title_fullStr | The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title_short | The internet and participation inequality : a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| title_sort | internet and participation inequality a multilevel examination of 108 countries |
| topic | Social sciences::Communication Civic Participation Government Intervention |
| url | https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/11314 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/146861 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ahmedsaifuddin theinternetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT chojaeho theinternetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT jaidkakokil theinternetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT eichstaedtjohannesc theinternetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT ungarlyleh theinternetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT ahmedsaifuddin internetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT chojaeho internetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT jaidkakokil internetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT eichstaedtjohannesc internetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries AT ungarlyleh internetandparticipationinequalityamultilevelexaminationof108countries |