Banana for Scale: Quantifying Reddit's Impact on Political Campaigns by Lauren Hince and Rose Hogmire
Politics and Government
Reddit, popularly known as the front-page of the internet, is an emerging platform for political campaigns. Consistently updating with fresh ideas, Reddit’s interface is dynamic with its content being exclusively user-generated. Within the website are separate communities called “subreddits,” which function similarly to online forums. IAmA (I am a) and AMA (Ask me anything) are posts on Reddit affording users the chance to ask anything of an AMA/IAmA host. Because of it’s direct contact structure, political candidates from all levels have taken to AMAs/IAmAs as a way to connect with voters; but until now scholars have not given attention to this website due to Reddit’s reputation and complex format. Our research highlights Reddit’s key role in voter representation. We examine what motivates people to engage with politicians on the website, and how their interaction affects their engagement and perception of politics. Through surveying active Reddit users we analyze the effectiveness of AMAs/IAmAs in changing the perception of a candidate, or helping them seem relatable. Our research will also introduce personal anecdotes from campaigns and Reddit users detailing their experience with this unconventional format; illuminating Reddit’s political potential.
Lauren Hince and Rose Hogmire
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 17, 2018
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Majors: Communication, Politics and Government (Lauren Hince)
Blaine, Minnesota (Lauren Hince)
Politics and Government Senior Seminar
The Constituents Will Eat it Up: How Food Affected Political Identity in the 2016 Presidential Election by Lauren Hince
Rhetorical Criticism
From taco bowls to eating pizza with a fork, food has remained a topic of conversation surrounding political campaigns. The 2016 presidential election cycle was no exception. Faced with two candidates who defied the presidential mold, both campaigns had to find unique ways to connect with voters. Food, when used correctly, can be a powerful identification tool that shapes politician’s image. Always seen eating fast-food, Trump’s food choices gave him the nickname “the blue-collar billionaire.” By comparison, the Clinton campaign used fresh and local foods to soften her image. Both decisions reflect the rhetorical significance food can play on our political system. Through my analysis, I will attempt to answer the question: "How was food used by campaigns to alter candidates’ image?” I analyze the food choices made by Clinton and Trump campaign, and examine how these decisions affected the campaigns’ overall strategy; leading to the outcome of the 2016 election.
Lauren Hince
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 17, 2018
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Majors: Communication, Politics and Government
Blaine, Minnesota
Rhetorical Criticism
Getting Social with Elected Officials: How Governors and State Legislators are Harnessing the Power of Social Media as a Form of Political Communication by Abigail R. Quackenboss
Politics and Government
The advent of the Internet and development of social media tools has had a profound impact on politics, most notably stateside being the ability to get out the youth vote in the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections. Social media allows for a two-way flow of information, which in politics is ideal when seeking feedback from constituents. Ideally, a politician’s social media strategy will: (1) cover a variety of policy areas; (2) respond to the social-media feedback from constituents; and (3) adapt to the changing trends in social media.
This paper, in a pseudo-case study analysis, examines the social media strategies of twelve politicians, governors and state legislators alike. The paper begins with an exploration of how social media has been used in politics, by both voters and politicians. In the analysis portion of the paper, messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability are used as metrics to gauge how effectively the twelve chosen politicians are utilizing social media as a form of political communication. Findings suggest politicians inconsistently use social media as a political communication tool along the metrics of messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability, allowing room for improvement when utilizing social media as means of communicating with voters, supporters, and constituents.
Quackenboss, Abigail R.
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 23, 2015
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Major: Politics and Government
Minor: Mathematics minor
Saint Cloud, Wisconsin
POL 501/502 Politics and Government Senior Seminar