Background
Social media has fundamentally changed the conditions for communication, organisation, and community in civil society. This project seeks to examine the extent, significance, and social inequality in new forms of community engagement emerging outside established structures. Previous research has shown that social media recruits more broadly than traditional organisations, especially among young people and individuals with lower education levels. The project will update our knowledge base on how social media affects community engagement and social inequality, and investigate the extent to which online social capital promotes participation and voluntary effort in voluntary organisations.
Main Questions:
- How does social media affect individuals' participation and engagement in civil society?
- What changes in forms of participation have occurred over time?
- How does social inequality impact digital participation and engagement?
Project Approach
The project consists of two subprojects and a comprehensive data analysis. In 2025, we will conduct a survey building on previous "Social Media and Community Engagement Surveys" from 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2022. This survey will map how social media influences individuals' participation and engagement in civil society, both within and outside established voluntary organisations.
In 2028, we will analyse the data with a particular focus on changes in forms of participation over time and the impact of these changes on participation in voluntary organisations. We will use panel data to gain a deeper understanding of how digital engagement has evolved and which factors have been most influential.
Reporting will take place in two phases:
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2026: A report presenting a descriptive overview of the findings from the 2025 survey. It will focus on changes in forms of participation over time, social inequality in digital participation, and the effect of online social capital on participation in voluntary organisations.
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2029: A report analysing changes over time and digital inequalities, focusing on how social media has influenced civil engagement and participation in voluntary organisations.
Through this approach, we hope to provide valuable insights into how digital media can be used to promote civil engagement and reduce social inequality in community participation.
