Democracy in Action: The Contribution of the DebateWatch Project to Civic Participation

Abstract

Abstract

Every four years, Americans participate in political talk about the presidential campaigns with co-workers, family and friends.This communication impacts attitudes toward civic engagement.Using the 2008 presidential election as a focal point, this study seeks to understand the impact of communication among citizens who engaged in political discussions at DebateWatch events.We examine the effect of debate viewing and post-debate discussions on perceptions of political information gained and increased interest in a presidential campaign.