Obama, Netroots, Progressives, and Health Care Reform

From the early demise of Trent Lott at the hands of bloggers to the agonized scream of Howard Dean; from Daily Kos and the blogosphere to the rise of Twitter and Facebook, politics and new media have co-existed and evolved in rapid succession. Here, an academic and practitioner team up to consider how new and old media technologies mix with combustible politics to determine, in real time, the shape of the emerging political order. Our political moment shares with other realigning periods the sense that political parties are failing to address the public interest. In an era defined by the collapse of the political center, extreme income inequality, rapidly changing demography, and new methods of communicating and organizing, a second-generation online progressive movement fueled by email and social media is coming into its own. In this highly readable text, the authors – one a scholar of Internet politics, the other a leading voice of the first generation netroots – draw on unique data and on-the-ground experience to answer key questions at the core of our tumultuous politics: How has Internet activism changed in form and function? How have the left and right changed with it? How does this affect American political power?

Next Generation Netroots: Realignment and the Rise of the Internet Left

The progressive "netroots," fueled by bloggers writing on websites like the Daily Kos and working through online organizations like MoveOn, are on the verge of spearheading a revolution that may well define the coming political era. Still, their purpose, goals, and track record remain largely misunderstood. This book provides an understanding of the loosely affiliated groups that collectively call themselves the progressive netroots: who they are, what they hope to accomplish, what they've done so far and how likely it is they will succeed in a plan so audacious it would result, if realized, in the transformation of America from a television-focused, center-right nation to an Internet-focused, center-left nation. Netroots weaves together a range of evidence and arguments to shatter conventional myths about this online movement. It explains why the left is better positioned than the right to take advantage of the decentralized nature of the Internet. As progressive candidates make uneven progress toward winning elections, the progressive netroots are working to drive media narratives and building real and virtual communities of activists that will contribute strongly to electoral success. Netroots documents the achievements of this emerging political force through an engaging analysis told with an eye toward history and in the bloggers' own words.

Netroots: Online Progressives and the Transformation of American Politics (Media and Power)

This book was written with the instructor's pedagogical needs and the students learning needs in mind. It presents a comprehensive treatment of the subject, emphasizes critical learning skills, and connects theory to practice, while talking to (rather than past) the student in a conversational manner using modular text and interactive features that address how students learn. It offers a comprehensive teaching and learning experience at an affordable price that will facilitate the teaching process while permitting instructors the flexibility to customize the book to how they teach the course. In five parts encompassing sixteen chapters, American Government: Your Voice, Your Future maps out a route designed to take you from understanding your place in the political system to how people connect with government, how the political system works and what it does, and finally'to come full circle'how responsive it is to your demands and desires.

American Government: Your Voice, Your Future, 5th Edition

You’ve been watching television news forever. You’re intimately familiar with the friendly faces and soothing voices that nightly tell you what’s wrong with the world. You think you know everything there is to know about them. You’re wrong.If It Bleeds, It Leads takes us minute-by-minute through two-and-one-half real hours of syndicated, local, and network information programming to uncover the truth behind what passes as news. Why is the only real difference between Jerry Springer and Dan Rather that Dan’s guests usually don’t need medical attention? How did a load of baking powder spark two minutes of high-strung local news coverage? It’s all here: the personal revelations of talk show guests; the dangers lurking in your neighborhood; sports; sex; celebrity; power; and weather updates every ten minutes--all real material taken from real broadcasts designed to keep viewers glued to the screen.

If It Bleeds, It Leads: An Anatomy Of Television News

From Democrats to Republicans, from the Green Party to the Tea Party, American parties and their politics are continuously adapting, renewing, and evolving to meet the challenges of the times. Party On!: Political Parties from Hamilton and Jefferson to Today's Networked Age captures these nuances with a cohesive theme, hard data, and a spotlight on new media that includes "Parties in a Networked Age" theme boxes.Authors John White and Matt Kerbel guide students on a journey from the origins of American political parties through a multitude of reorganizations, technological developments, and financial woes. With finesse and insight, Party On! offers a sweeping view of political parties up to the eve of the 2012 elections.

Party On!: Political Parties from Hamilton and Jefferson to Today's Networked Age

Given how the media portray the political system, how can we educate ourselves about politics without feeling alienated? The amount of information now available to the public about government is without precedent, and contemporary media bring the political action closer than ever before. But in an age when reports on the manipulative behavior and character flaws of public figures appear as frequently as coverage of policy issues, many people are tuning out.Remote and Controlled examines the issue of widespread cynicism in an era of abundant information, asking whether it is possible to consume a steady diet of mainstream media and still understand and respect the political process. Starting with central examples of television’s political coverage and the media’s focus on the president, the author explores a variety of mediafrom newspapers and radio to MTV and computer networksand political events and institutions. Both electoral politics and governance are explored through examples that range from FDR’s fireside radio chats and the Kennedy-Nixon television debates to Vietnam and Watergate, on up to Clinton’s war room, Perot’s infomercials, C-SPAN and Congress, and the Monica Lewinsky scandal.Against a historical backdrop of political, technological, and institutional change, the text raises critical questions for a society plugged into Rush, Oprah, and USA Today: How do the media both magnify and undermine the president? Can televised town meetings replace the real thing? How do politicians seek to control the flow of information, and what do the media do about it? Does the information explosion provide greater diversity or simply greater convenience? The second edition of this acclaimed text has been revised and updated to examine media coverage of recent events including the Monica Lewinsky scandal and other high-profile stories. In the process, the author sheds light on the ultimate dilemma of whether an informed public will participate in a system in which campaigns are portrayed as if they were war, policymaking is depicted as if it were a campaign, and none of the participantsreporters includedappears particularly noble or worthy.

Remote And Controlled: Media Politics In A Cynical Age, Second Edition (Dilemmas in American Politics)

Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.


The strength of the Villanova experience comes in part from the University’s welcoming community. All members are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential.


The University’s rigorous academic experience, rooted in the liberal arts, forms an environment in which students and professors are partners in learning. The Villanova community is dedicated to providing a personalized experience that fosters every student’s intellectual and spiritual well-being. As part of their education, students are encouraged to enrich their own lives by working for those in need. Through academic and service programs, students use their knowledge, skills and compassion to better the world around them.


There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. These colleges are the setting for an experience that develops both the heart and the mind, and creates the atmosphere where students are called to ignite change.


Villanova University is located in a suburban community 12 miles west of Philadelphia, Pa.

Villanova University

More and more, getting elected and staying in office hinges on a politician's skill in using technology and new media. Dr. Kerbel is the "go to" source for stories about political communication - how politicians, political parties and governmental bodies interact with traditional media - newspapers, radio and television - and use new media - Internet Web sites, blogs, social media and podcasts, to gain advantage. With his firsthand experience as a television and radio writer, and as a leading researcher and author on politics and media, Kerbel is frequently interviewed on this vital subject.

Political Science

Political Parties

Presidency and Governorship

American Government

Media and Politics

Presidential Elections

Presidential and Congressional Elections

Politics

Wolves and Sheep: Political analysis from outside the Beltway

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villanova-professor-discusses-the-presidency-and-future-use-of-social-media

Professor of Political Science | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

During his presidency, Donald Trump heavily utilized Twitter and other social media platforms as a key communication mechanism. But President Joe Biden’s use of social media will likely look very different according to Villanova University political science professor Matt Kerbel, PhD. 

“I think we’re going to see a return to something resembling normalcy in the way President Biden communicates with the public and runs his office,” says Dr. Kerbel. “President Trump was singular in his ability to use Twitter as a mouthpiece for his unfiltered thoughts because that was his brand and the basis for his campaign and presidency. Social media was an extension of his personality and a forum to amplify his message.”

But President Biden’s campaign did not follow the same strategy. Dr. Kerbel predicts his social media use will vastly differ: “I expect President Biden to use social media to communicate his message of unity and publicize his plans and accomplishments. Expect a return to routine press conferences and planned media events along with social media outreach resembling what we’ve seen from the transition team.” 

Dr. Kerbel is an expert on political communication, including how politicians or political parties utilize traditional and new media. Due to his experience as a television and radio writer, researcher and author, he is frequently interviewed regarding politics and the media. He also writes political analyses for his blog, Wolves and Sheep. 

Villanova Professor Discusses the Presidency and Future Use of Social Media

Political science professor Matthew Kerbel discusses what effect a new Donald Trump campaign ad would have on voters.

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