A term used to express the opinions of individuals farthest from the centre on the right-left axis on a political issue. Individuals generally support the “left wing” or “right wing” in their political behaviour. This concept describes the attitude of individuals who support the right wing or the left wing as much as possible.
Published in Chapter:
Digitalization and Political Extremism
Mehmet Karacuka (Ege University, Turkey), Hakan Inke (Ege University, Turkey), and Justus Haucap (Heinrich Heine University, Germany)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-9187-1.ch022
Abstract
Information and communication technologies shape, direct, and deter political behaviour and institutions as the increase in internet usage regulate our daily lives. The advance of internet and digital media also shape political involvement, partisanship, and ideology. Internet, as the new media, is an important information source that shapes political behaviour along with other effects on societal layers. The new technologies provide a platform for the voices of minorities and disadvantaged communities, therefore urging a pluralist agenda. They are also blamed for the recent rise of populism and polarisation by creating echo-chambers, filter-bubbles, and the “fake news.” In this study, the authors analyse the possible effects of internet usage on political polarisation and ideological extremism by utilising World Values Survey Wave 7 Data for 40 countries. The findings show that internet usage and education level decrease extremism, while safety, work anxiety, and religiosity drive people to the extreme.