] Networking Cluj Romania Democracy [ 25-27 June 2010

1. ] NetworkingCluj RomaniaDemocracy [ 25-27 June 2010 Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality: the construction of online public debate on political status of foreigners living in Greece DimitraDimitrakopoulou, PhD Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

2. Orientation of study

3. Initiative for the institution of open government • Promised policy to ensure • “meritocracy and transparency in the selection procedure of administration officials as well as public debate” • Every legislation is open to public debate before introducing it as a Bill for discussion and voting in the Greek Parliament ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

4. Platform for online deliberationwww.opengov.gr

5. ] Case study [ • The political participation of expatriates and foreigners who live legitimately and for long term in Greece • Online deliberation • 28 December 2009-7 January 2010 • More than 3.000 posted comments • Almost 2.500 regarded the issue of acquiring the Greek nationality for children of foreigners who were born or studied in a Greek school in Greece, indicating strong reactions of Greek citizens ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

6. ] Framework of study [ • Basic concept: Construction and cultivation of nationalism on the Internet • Focus: Means of presentation and promotion of national identities, but also of the radical phenomena of nationalistic bulge • Aim: Take a closer research look to the various nationalistic expressions that exist and expand online as extreme nationalism is flourishing on the Internet ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

7. ] Methodology [ • Method: Discourse analysis applying the analytical construct of interpretative repertoires on posted comments • Units of analysis: Posted comments on the 21 Articles that were included in the legislative initiative • Sampling: Systematic sampling • Studied sample: 10% of the total comments online • Aim: Analyze the different genres that are apparent on the online debate, following the argumentation process, the selection of wording and phrasing, the expression of viewpoints and opinions

8. Some important definitions

9. ] Nation [ “A named human population sharing an historic territory, common myths and historical memories, a mass, public culture, a common economy and common legal rights and duties for all members” (Smith, 1991: 14)

10. ] The psychological bond [ • Connor (1978; 1993) adds the unanticipated factor that triggers nationalistic bulge and clusterings, namely the essentially irrational, psychological bond that binds nationals together and which is supposed to constitute the essence of national identity • This psychological bond is usually termed as a fellow feeling (Geertz, 1963) or a sense of belonging (Connor, 1978) ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

11. ] National identity [ “reproduction and reinterpretation of the pattern of values, symbols, memories, myths and traditions that compose the distinctive heritage of nations, and the identifications of individuals with that pattern and heritage” (Smith, 2001, p. 18) ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

12. ] Nationalism [ “a political principle, which holds that the political and national unit should be congruent” (Gellner, 1983: 1) ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

13. ] The nationalist doctrine [ • The world is divided into nations • The nation is the only legitimate source of political power • These principles guide the development of social and political life • The organization of the world in nation-states does not only seem ‘natural’… • …but the whole world perception by most people is founded on the dichotomy between the nation (in-group) and those who belong to other communities addressed as the foreigners or the ‘others’ ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

14. Fundamental argument of nationalists ] dichotomous conception of the world [

15. The role of the Internet

16. ] The Internet [ • Interactive and decentralized medium • Open network, offering the basis for a radical different media ‘ecosystem’ • Allows new forms of dialogue • Proven enormous potential as a communication tool • Extremist groups are developing an Internet presence • The very features of the Internet that make it a democratic medium may make it a particularly appealing tool for individuals from marginalized groups to connect

17. ] Benefits to extremist groups [

18. ] A social network 200 years ago [ Source: Curtis, 2005: 6

19. ] A modern social network [ Source: Curtis, 2005: 6

20. Internet Mapping Project by Bill Cheswick http://cheswick.com/ches/map/gallery/index.html

21. ] The effect of globalization [ • People no longer live in isolated corners of the globe • The processes of globalization have created a smaller world, but the world has no singular culture, nor a single language • Nationalism is not limited to a particular region • The spread of people has brought about a new form of nationalism that operates outside of a particular country ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

22. ] Internet’s forces [ • The Internet presents bipolar forces in the way a nation is imaged (Mitra, 1997) • The speed of communication and the global reach offered by the Internet allows rapid mobilization of ethnic communities during critical events (Kwok, 1999 • Some scholars argue that new media technologies promote unstable, multiple, fluid identities and work against the solidification of ethnic identity (e.g. Poster, 1995; Turkle, 1995) ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

23. ] Centripetal vs Centrifugal forces [ • Although the Internet may have centripetal forces of drawing migrants together, Mitra (1997) argued that there is also a powerful segmenting or centrifugal force… • …produced by the multiple and varied discourses on the image of the nation, which reflect the inner differences and contradictions within the virtual community • There is no central dominant voice on the Net, and therefore no ideological closure leading to a single “master narrative” of any particular nation ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

24. Research results & findings

25. ] Breakthroughs [ • The legislation initiative changes the context of the Greek nation as it brings to the Greek political debate the issue of the status of citizens on a symbolic-ideological level • The nationality issues were under a special Omertàin the political speech, as no one was discussing about it until it was necessary to be reveal that someone was not Greek. For the first time, it comes to the fore the discussion who can be/become Greek • Moving from jus sanguinis to jus soli ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

26. ] The importance of online deliberation [ • The Internet has made it easier, more open & accessible to the public and at the same time more interesting and blur • Technology has affected the deliberation process in the same way that the blogs have affected the information process • The most important profit of the online deliberation is that it enriches the legislative process • At the same time it remains a tool and not a cause in itself ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

27. ] Opengov.gr [ • The site was bombarded by nationalistic abusive and insulting comments • Many were removed by the webmasters and nationalistic blogs started to posts comments about “fascist practices and censorship” • The access of organized extremist groups gives a wrong image about “common sense” • Lack of information about the proposed legislation and reproduction of phobic rhetoric about the consequences (sic) of its vote ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

28. ] Opengov.gr [ • Notable mismatch of posted comments and computer IPs • Spamming was widely used in order to outnumber the actual number of people who participated in the deliberation • Reproduction of posts in a number of blogs and sites • Appeal for referendum accompanied by “instructions” for its widespread and the collection of signatures ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

29. ] Interpretative repertoires [ • Acquisition of nationality as a threat to the nation’s sovereignty: the ‘others’ as enemies • Recognition of the need for concession of rights, but application of certain nation-wise criteria: the ‘others’ have to prove that they are ideologically identical • Nationality under conditions: the ‘others’ as part of a given social system • Nationality as a human right: the ‘others’ as citizens entitled to participate equally in the political community ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

30. Comments studied (N=246, 10% of total 2460)

31. ] Repertoire A [ • “Unacceptable!!! It is a conspicuous effort to alienate the population…such a sudden increase of Greek citizens imposes the procedure of a REFERENDUM.” • The generous automatizations in favour of illegal immigrants WILL WIPE US OUT AS NATION. Greece will only exist as a geographical term, a ground of tutti-frutti “greeks”, a barker of millions of foreign religion and nations who want a European passport”. • “We are afraid of them (not all but most of them)” • “I cannot understand what a Nigerian or Pakistani and Indian can feel in the celebration of national holidays […] Also, I don’t it’s right that after 20-30 years Greece could have a foreigner as Prime Minister, Minister or Head of Military Force”.

32. ] Repertoire B [ • “In order to accept your legislation, I expect that • The country can protect its borders • The country makes calls for just the necessary places for immigrants • Immigrants enter the country legally • They work legally paying all necessary fees • They are able to prove the knowledge of Greek • They are able to take exams in the Greek history • They accept the Greek values and the Greek way of living” • “YES to the ones who feel Greeks. NO to the rest of them”.

33. ] Repertoire C [ • “It is not possible to speak of the acquisition of the nationality after five years stay in the country without an organized program of integration of the immigrants […] Can Greece handle financially the integration of more citizens and if so, how many can the Greek economy and the social security system “afford”? Is this planning too superficial and is it possible that we become the passage for the European regularisation of immigrants? Can the Greek society afford something like that?” • “What we examine is the framework in which the “foreigner” will be granted the opportunity to have the same rights and obligations as a Greek citizen”

34. ] Repertoire D [ • “It is an honour for each country if a citizen wishes to get its nationality and lift its flag. Let’s become even more Greeks. There are no illegal people. There are only illegal acts of people” • A right decision at last! Children who are born in Greece should be Greeks! • We cannot judge the legislation as if we are living in closed borders, isolated. If we need to look for enemies, let’s start from our mirror. We can only find allies among the people who live with us in this country. Poverty brings nagging and lack of education causes intolerance. Vote the legislation so that this injustice is corrected legally, but proceed quickly to the reform of education”

35. Future research

36. ] Research projections [ • Analysis in-progress • Cover the total posted comments, achieving afully studied case of online deliberation • Combine with research about nationalistic & hate speech online • Triangulation of methods: • Quantitative & qualitative discourse analysis • Content analysis of coverage in traditional media • Expert in-depth interviewing ] Citizens discuss about citizenship and nationality [

37. Thank you for your attention! ] communication @dimitrakopoulou.wordpress.com dimitrakopouloud@gmail.comwww.facebook.com/ddimitrakopoulou twitter.com/dimitrakopoulou