940.3
Use of Facebook As a Source of Political Participation Among University Students of Pakistan
The Internet has brought about remarkable changes in contemporary societies by increasing access to the information and allowing users to freely express their views to others. Various scholars consider the Internet as a new source of political socialization and a way to bring young people closer to the political process. The Internet facilitates this process in various forms. The use of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) is viewed significant in this regard. SNSs have stimulated the political debate among less democratized societies particularly after the event of Arab Spring. However, there is dearth of scientific evidence that how SNSs are linked with democratic and political participation among the users of developing countries. The following study intends to see that how Facebook, most accessed social networking site in the world, is being utilized by its users in Pakistan for political purposes and influenced its young users to participate in political process. For this purpose, an online survey has been conducted with students of various universities in Pakistan to find out the relationship, if any, between Facebook use and their civic and political participation. The preliminary analysis shows that there is association between Facebook use and online and offline political participation. However, further inquiry is in process to see the effect of intervening variables to validate this relationship. The study will provide deep insights regarding the political use of Facebook and its influence on civic and political participation.
From
Qaisar Khalid Mahmood
Muhammad Ishaq
Sociological Association of Pakistan.