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Abstract

Since the turn of the 21st century, there has been a swift deviation away from reliance on solely traditional campaigning strategies utilised throughout presidential election cycles, to a more digitally oriented and data driven approach. Conventionally5 kic8f9r, campaigning in a presidential election has involved a focus on employing effective ground game tactics, such as attending rallies, canvasing voters, getting the support of celebrities, and making public appearances at schools, hospitals, etc. In the digital era however, these tactics have been intrinsically incorporated into digitally oriented campaigns, whereby candidates increasingly focus their campaign onto digital platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, among others. Data has also been increasingly utilised to better target voters with the aim of mobilising support or indeed, suppressing opposition turnout. However, as digitally oriented campaigning becomes more prominent, so do the potentially harmful implications of this digital revolution, such as the digital divide, which renders some of the electorate unable to participate in e-democracy and operate DCTs (Digital Communication Technologies) effectively. This project will set about assessing and evaluating the extent to which digital media may have influenced the 2016 presidential election result, through a combination of a deductive reasoning approach and mixed method analysis. Given the extensive integration of DCTs in society and the systemic reliance on these technologies, it would be unwise do dismiss the notion that digital media was a pivotal factor in Trump’s election.

Course: International Relations and Politics - BA (Hons) - C0694

Date Deposited: 2022-02-18

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13836.html