Abstract

Existing approaches to studying digital platforms and politics in the context of the American landscape have focused on how “fringe” actors on the far-right and left sides of the spectrum have used social media to gain wider publicity for their ideas and values (Daniels 2018; Barnes 2020); the economic imperatives underlying the construction of platforms (Terranova 2004; Couldry and Mejias 2019); or the need for digital platforms to be regulated by lawmakers in order to protect American democracy (Hawley and Cruz 2019). However, this thesis will argue that each of these perspectives is only giving a glimpse of the overall picture. Digital platforms such as Twitter and Facebook cannot be viewed as passive tools for human actors to make use of, nor are they neutral infrastructure through which social relations are channeled. While platforms are owned and operated by private corporations for profit, the relations they give rise to exceed the relationship of user data exploitation and extraction. Furthermore, a closer examination will show both platform users and platform owners do not make sense of this relationship in solely economic terms either, but in terms of political governance. Finally, debates about how best to regulate social media miss the question of what exactly is to be regulated. This thesis will argue, using key tenets of actor-network theory as put forth by Bruno Latour, that digital platforms fundamentally reconfigure the materiality of politics, giving rise to new techno-economic formations that human actors must struggle to make sense of.

Department

Political Science Department

Degree Name

MA in Political Science

Graduation Date

Fall 6-14-2020

Submission Date

June 2020

First Advisor

Hefny, Mostafa

Second Advisor

NA

Third Advisor

NA

Committee Member 1

Delatolla, Andrew

Committee Member 2

Lee, Sean

Committee Member 3

NA

Extent

99 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Political Science

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. The author has granted the American University in Cairo or its agents a non-exclusive license to archive this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study, and to make it accessible, in whole or in part, in all forms of media, now or hereafter known.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

Streaming Media

Comments

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