Competing Populist Communications, Digital Technologies and Elections
This book examines how populism, digital disinformation, and social media shaped Indonesia’s 2024 elections. It shows how political actors, influencers, and coordinated digital campaigns used emotional narratives, identity politics, and online manipulation to mobilise support, influence public debate, and reshape democratic competition. Bringing together theoretical chapters and empirical case studies, the book explores religious populism, authoritarian tendencies, digital campaigning, misinformation, and electoral communication in Indonesia. It places the Indonesian case within wider debates on democracy, political polarisation, digital propaganda, and the growing power of online platforms in election politics. The book offers a timely account of how digital technologies are transforming populism and democratic life in the Global South.
Whisnu Triwibowo is a faculty member at the University of Indonesia. He holds a PhD in Information and Media from Michigan State University. His research focuses on digital inequality, misinformation, online networks, information processing, and the digital economy.
Fina Itriyati is a lecturer and researcher at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from The Australian National University. Her research focuses on gender, disability, inclusion, and Indonesian society.
Hasnan Bachtiar is a graduate researcher at Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Australia, and a lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia. His research focuses on religion, law, society, and politics, with particular interest in religious populism, emotions, and political mobilisation.