Government and youth communications in social media: Theoretical basics and Russian practice

Abstract

Today’s media audience, especially young audience, is often described as apolitical, and their activity in social media on various social and cultural issues is not regarded as political activism. However, the content and forms of political participation have by now undergone a substantial transformation. This paper studies the issue of sociocultural determinacy of modern political activism using Russia’s youth as an example, its focus on social change in everyday life, and the practices for interaction between the government and young people in modern Russia. The paper contains the findings of a study of official accounts of Russian government institutions and a survey among young Russian journalism students on their social and political media activism and their interest in communicating with the government through social media.

Keywords

• media activism
• mediatization
• political communication
• young people
• social media