Ajluni Blog Post #2

I am planning on researching the ways that Representative Democracy has changed as a result of the increased presence of social media in the United States. What does Representative Democracy mean today, and how has it changed as a result of social media?

I will need to research 1) the history of Representative Democracy, 2) the original intention of Representative Democracy, 3) the turning point of social media use, 4) the role of social media in politics/how it has changed over time, 5) Donald Trump’s use of Twitter, 6) the meaning of Representative Democracy today/how it deviates from its original meaning

Key Words:

  • Democracy
  • Representative Democracy in the United States
  • Social Media and Politics
  • Social Media and Democracy
  • Populism
  • Donald Trump Twitter
  • Voter Turnout 2016 elections
  • Recent political trends

I will start my research process by going to the University of Richmond Library page and using the key words (above) to find any relevant journal articles, books/ebooks, documentaries, or news stories. Once I find relevant sources, I will look at the citations that these sources used, and then use these to dive deeper into the research process. I may also use google scholar, Jstor, or ask previous Political Science professors for help.

 

Blog Post #1- Ajluni

  • Is it possible to change your topic after you have already decided on one?
  • When should you ask a professor to be your thesis advisor? Should your question be finalized before you ask?
  • What should you do if you choose an advisor that doesn’t end up being as helpful as you hoped?
  • How can I decide on an exact topic and know if it is narrow enough?
  • Is there someone who can help me sort out my interests and help me craft a strong question?

Topics:

  1. The nature of democracy/ how it has changed with the increased presence of social media in elections
  2. Foreign language studies and the role that it plays in educational systems of other countries vs ours
  3. Gender roles in congress/government
  4. Political Theory/How people develop their political positions
  5. Rhetoric of strong vs weak leaders