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This Element endeavors to enrich and broaden Southeast Asian research by exploring the intricate interplay between social media and politics. Employing an interdisciplinary approach and grounded in extensive longitudinal research, the study uncovers nuanced political implications, highlighting the platform's dual role in both fostering grassroots activism and enabling autocratic practices of algorithmic politics, notably in electoral politics. It underscores social media's alignment with communicative capitalism, where algorithmic marketing culture overshadows public discourse, and perpetuates affective binary mobilization that benefits both progressive and regressive grassroots activism. It can facilitate oppositional forces but is susceptible to authoritarian capture. The rise of algorithmic politics also exacerbates polarization through algorithmic enclaves and escalates disinformation, furthering autocraticizing trends. Beyond Southeast Asia, the Element provides analytical and conceptual frameworks to comprehend the mutual algorithmic/political dynamics amidst the contestation between progressive forces and the autocratic shaping of technological platforms.
List of contents
1. Introduction; 2. Mapping the terrain: socio-political and technological dynamics of social media in Southeast Asia; 3. Revealing the tapestry: country highlights on social media and politics in Southeast Asia; 4. Dynamics of dissent: grassroots activism in the Social Media age; 5. Bytes and ballots: social media in/for political campaigns and elections; 6. Concluding remarks; References.
Summary
This Element studies the link between social media and Southeast Asian politics and its dual role in fostering grassroots activism and enabling algorithmic politics. It shows the platform's alignment with communicative capitalism, facilitating oppositional forces but susceptible to authoritarian capture and mutual algorithmic/political dynamics.
Foreword
This Element explains the algorithmic and political dynamics of social media's struggle between progressive activism and autocratization.
