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Understanding Divergent Patterns of Political Discussion in Online Forums—Evidence from the European Citizens' Consultations

ABSTRACT This study examines divergent patterns of political discussion through a comparative analysis of 28 online forums, initiated by the European Commission as part of the 2009 European Citizens' Consultations. These forums shared the same design (technological and process) and had the same connection to the policy process. Still, great divergences were apparent in the intensity of discussion between the forums. The aim of this article is to create an understanding of these divergences. A hypothetic deductive approach is first employed, investigating three hypotheses about favorable conditions for political discussion grounded in prior studies and deliberative democratic theory. The results indicate that political discussions are more intense in forums where the level of consensus among participants is low. Thereafter, a comparative case study is conducted of two forums in order to foster a deeper understanding of these results, which showed that a high level of consensus was created through efforts of organized groups to mobilize support for their positions. The results of the analyses make it evident that online political discussion must be studied and understood in relation to an actor-centered perspective investigating participants' strategies and conduct.