Review

"Twitter has taken the political world by storm, and it’s changing the way candidates campaign and voters learn about politics. This groundbreaking book by John Parmelee and Shannon Bichard shows us how it’s being done and why it matters. Must reading for anyone for wants to understand the power of new social media."

(Larry J. Sabato )

"It may seem odd to say that a book examining the political uses of a technology that has only existed for five years is long overdue, [but] Politics and the Twitter Revolution was definitely worth the wait. The authors effectively couple survey research, content analysis, and frame analysis with in-depth interviews to explore what motivates individuals to follow political leaders on Twitter, what they see as its benefits and drawbacks as well as how Twitter affects them. The study also effectively critiques how politicians employ Twitter. This is a comprehensive and insightful look at Twitter politics."

(Johnson , Tom )

"Politics and the Twitter Revolution breaks new ground in analyzing one of the newest, most common, and most misunderstood online social media venues and its role in American politics. Parmelee and Bichard's book will inform many readers, from political staffers asking ‘How can we use Twitter?,’ to students in political communication classes, to the advanced researcher seeking access to a wealth of data and insight."

(David D. Perlmutter )

About the Author

John H. Parmelee is associate professor of communication at the University of North Florida.

Shannon L. Bichard is associate professor in the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University.