Parties and New Technologies in Latin America

This Element analyzes how Latin American political parties have used new technologies to organize and mobilize supporters during elections.

Rafael Piñeiro-Rodríguez (Author), Fernando Rosenblatt (Author), Gabriel Vommaro (Author), Laura Wills-Otero (Author)

9781009623025, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 9 January 2025

78 pages
23 x 15 x 0.5 cm, 0.112 kg

This Element analyzes the incorporation of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) by different parties in Latin America to organize volunteers and mobilize supporters during elections. It assesses ICT-related changes in how parties recruit prospective candidates, collect information about citizens' preferences, and mobilize for elections and how these changes have reduced the power of the rank and file within party organizations. Party leaders have an incentive to incorporate new ICTs to increase electoral efficacy and reduce the role of rank-and-file members in performing essential party functions. However, the result of the incorporation of technology depends on leaders' capacity to control the process within the party. Based on case studies of ICT incorporation by various Latin American parties and electoral campaigns, the authors posit that the incorporation of technology will consolidate a power dynamic that predates the adoption of ICTs to fulfill organizational functions.

1. Introduction
2. Theory
3. The supply side of new ICTs for political campaigning and mobilization
4. The cases
Conclusions
References.

Subject Areas: Constitution: government & the state [JPHC]