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Net-Authoritarianism? How Web Ideologies reinforce Political Hierarchies in the Italian ‘5 Star Movement’
Journal
Italian Journal of Cinema and Media Studies
ISSN
2047-7368
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Treré, Emiliano
Abstract (De)
This article responds to current critiques about the myths of digital democracy drawing on the case study of the Italian Movimento 5 Stelle/5 Star Movement (5SM) lead by comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo. We argue that the political success of the 5SM was largely dependent on a process of technological fetishism of the Net as an autonomous political agent. We also contend that this process has enabled the party leaders to build an ideology of the movement and represent the 5SM as a grassroots movement based on horizontal networks, participatory democracy, and characterized by the absence of leadership. Conversely, we claim that the digital rhetoric of horizontality, lack of leadership and spontaneity of the party is used to mask, facilitate and reinforce the authority of Beppe Grillo as political leader, thus forging a new type of authoritarianism that is supported and legitimated through the everyday construction of digital discourse.
Language
English
Keywords
5 Star Movement
Beppe Grillo
Gianroberto Casaleggio
Italian politics
digital utopianism
net-authoritarianism
technological fetishism
web ideologies
Refereed
Yes
Volume
3
Number
3
Start page
287
End page
304
Official URL
Division(s)
Eprints ID
261742