The Social Media and Civic Engagement Matrix

Abstract

This poster presents a framework for classifying online civic behaviors expressed in social media. We draw attention to how engaged communities report high qualities of life, and then we argue prior research typically portrays engagements as positive and cooperative. We explain why prior studies seem to take the view they do and present findings from an interview study that suggests civic engagement often feels uncomfortable or negative. We propose a two dimensional matrix of sociality and efficacy—the Social Media and Civic Engagement Matrix—that provides a useful theoretical tool for thinking about civic engagement activities. Finally, we conclude by outlining plans for future research using our framework.