BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies Social Media Politics in Central Eastern Europe

This book surveys current developments in social media and politics in a range of Central and Eastern European countries, including Russia. It highlights how the application of social media in politics is still at an early stage, examines the impact of social media, and discusses political situations where social media played an important r Social media are increasingly revolutionising the ways in which political communication works, and their importance for engaging citizens in politics and public affairs is well understood by political actors. This book surveys current developments in social media and politics in a range of Central and Eastern European countries, including Ukraine and Russia. It explores the process of adoption of social media by politicians, journalists and civic activists, examines the impact of the different social and cultural backgrounds of the countries studied, and discusses specific political situations, such as the 2012 protests in Moscow and the 2014 EuroMaidan events in Ukraine, where social media played an important role. The book concludes by addressing how the relationship between social media and politics is likely to develop and how it might affect the still relatively new democracies in the region.