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Analyzing Political Communication with Digital Trace Data

The Role of Twitter Messages in Social Science Research

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Authors:
  1. Andreas Jungherr

    1. University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany

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  • Introduces a framework for employing digital trace data in the analysis of political and social phenomena
  • Presents an analysis of political campaigns and public opinion based on digital trace data
  • Provides a detailed template for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of digital trace data in the context of political campaigns

Part of the book series: Contributions to Political Science (CPS)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxi
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction: How to Use Twitter in the Social Sciences

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 1-10

  3. Twitter, Usage and Research

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 11-23

  4. Twitter in the Analysis of Social Phenomena: An Interpretative Framework

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 25-68

  5. Twitter as Political Communication Space: Publics, Prominent Users, and Politicians

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 69-106

  6. Sensor of Attention to Politics

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 107-154

  7. The Media Connection

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 155-188

  8. Predictor of Electoral Success and Public Opinion at Large

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 189-210

  9. Conclusion: Twitter and the Analysis of Social Phenomena

    • Andreas Jungherr
    Pages 211-220
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Keywords

About this book

This book offers a framework for the analysis of political communication in election campaigns based on digital trace data that documents political behavior, interests and opinions. The author investigates the data-generating processes leading users to interact with digital services in politically relevant contexts. These interactions produce digital traces, which in turn can be analyzed to draw inferences on political events or the phenomena that give rise to them. Various factors mediate the image of political reality emerging from digital trace data, such as the users of digital services’ political interests, attitudes or attention to politics. In order to arrive at valid inferences about the political reality on the basis of digital trace data, these mediating factors have to be accounted for. The author presents this interpretative framework in a detailed analysis of Twitter messages referring to politics in the context of the 2009 federal elections in Germany. This book will appeal to scholars interested in the field of political communication, as well as practitioners active in the political arena.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany

    Andreas Jungherr

About the author

Andreas Jungherr is a research fellow at the Chair of Political Psychology at the University of Mannheim, Germany. His research focuses on the use of digital trace data in the social sciences and the effects of the Internet on political communication and electoral campaigns. His research has been published in Journal of Communication, Internet Research and Social Science Computer Review.

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