Understanding the material culture of political participation on Facebook.

The increasing use of social media in political communication creates a special interest in the analysis offered by this project. After Brexit and the 2016 USA national elections, the topic of political participation and fake news on Facebook caught the attention of scholars and the public. Similarly, national elections in the US are taking place in 2020 and the circulation of fake news is currently part of debate that required further attention and detail analysis that only an ethnographic approach can provide. Understanding the impact of these digital interactions in politics is relevant for consultants, NGOs working on political accountability, party officers, governmental institutions working on electoral processes, journalists and a general audience interested in politics. As a result of this general interest, various types of publications and debates have bloomed in the media and professional circles. These debates and publications frequently lack empirical analysis or include descriptions of data that fail to consider the general context, cultural aspects and the motivations of users for participation.
By conducting a grounded analysis that considers the local context and the specific political cultures, the fellowship responds to questions related to the changes brought by Facebook in political interactions. The ethnographic approach includes elements of collaborative research and considers the interests and points of view of different stakeholders involved in online campaigns. As a result, this research is able to provide useful tools for scholars and non-academic groups interested in a critical analysis of using Facebook to develop new political initiatives and encourage public participation and dialogue.
The researcher has extensive work experience that is extremely useful for conducting an ethnographic study of political participation on Facebook. He is a native Spanish speaker and has a strong background in quantitative and qualitative research methods gained through his degree in Sociology, Master in Digital Sociology and PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at top Latin American and British universities. Similarly, his CV shows very valuable experience in the analysis of social media and online indicators for measuring the reach of political content and brands' reputations. His strong academic background, professional practice and his collaboration with political parties during electoral campaigns in Uruguay and Argentina provided him with a unique set of skills to understand the local political culture, users' motivations on Facebook and the importance of online quantification for a campaign.
The collaborative component of the doctoral research aimed to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with the studied group. In the short term, the study provided the research participants with reports useful for their analysis of public engagement. The reports were crucial to gain membership and direct observation of the activities of this group and helped to develop a research motivation to generate relevant outputs for all the actors involved in this research. This collaborative approach will facilitate the creation of a bridge between the rigorous and conceptually rich academic approach with the more pragmatic and goal-oriented practices of organisations and practitioners working in political communication.
Academic publications, public presentations, conferences and online videos will be delivered and accessible for different audiences. These publications will cover topics of general interest such as fake news, online populism and possibilities of encouraging political participation.