The Dangers of Echo Chambers. Critical notice on #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5944/endoxa.45.2020.22850Keywords:
Polarization, echo chambers, group polarization, selective exposure to information, political philosophy.Abstract
In #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media, Cass R. Sunstein presents a social phenomenon that has had a significant impact on the debate in politics during the last years: echo chambers. The purpose of this work is to analyze the relationship between this phenomenon and political polarization, something that often goes unnoticed in current political debates. To do this, I will first explain the mechanisms underlying the creation of echo chambers described by Sunstein in his book, then I will examine the problems they may entail. Second, I will analyze the connection between echo chambers and polarization.
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References
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Sunstein, Cass R. (2017). #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
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