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ICT and Activist Persistence in MoveOn and the Tea Party Movement

Mon, August 18, 10:30am to 12:10pm, TBA

Abstract

Given the difficulties associated with longitudinal analyses of individual engagement in contemporary, communication-based organizations, we know very little about what causes individuals to stay and leave groups in the digital age. To address this issue, we draw on interview and participant observation data with supporters of two very differently structured contemporary movement organizations (MoveOn.org and the Tea Part Movement) and assess how organizational form shape individual involvement in each group over time. Here, we use Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to analyze interview data collected with 38 respondents at two points in time in order to determine how individual, social, and organizational factors interact and affect whether individuals 1) continue their involvement in a group or 2) leave and get involved in another social movement organization. We find that a single factor – a strong political identity – accounts for individuals’ decision to leave MoveOn and the Tea Party Movement. Explanations for continued involvement, however, are more complex. MoveOn supporters that stay engaged with the group lack a strong political identity and stay involved because the organization offers easy and efficient “big tent” progressive activism. Tea Party supporters, in contrast, remain engaged over time because they regard the group as efficacious in the short and long term. We conclude with a discussion of our results for understanding activism and activist persistence in the digital age.

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