Grassroots Digital Campaigning in Indonesia: Volunteer Networks, Political Communication, and Electoral Mobilization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/j6pty111Keywords:
Political volunteers, digital campaigning, electoral mobilization, political communication, IndonesiaAbstract
Political volunteers have become increasingly important actors in Indonesian electoral campaigns, particularly through decentralized digital networks. Unlike formal party structures, volunteer organizations can rapidly mobilize supporters through social media, messaging applications, and community networks. This article examines grassroots digital campaigning in Indonesia and its implications for democratic participation. Using qualitative social movement and political communication analysis, the study investigates volunteer networks, campaign narratives, digital coordination, and voter engagement. The article argues that volunteer networks can expand political participation by allowing citizens to become active political communicators rather than passive recipients of campaign messages. However, decentralized structures may also create accountability problems when volunteers distribute misleading information or engage in aggressive political attacks without formal responsibility. The study proposes a democratic volunteerism framework emphasizing transparency, political literacy, ethical communication, and accountability. The article concludes that grassroots digital campaigning has become an important component of Indonesian electoral politics and demonstrates the increasing importance of citizen-led political communication.
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