Kosovo’s digital Leviathans threaten a crisis of democracy
Our unchecked online culture is promoting an unhealthy personalization — and presidentialization — of politics.
From the ancient Greeks to the coffee houses of 17th century London, to the so-called “Twitter revolutions,” public debate has been, and is, vital to democracy.
No one should really care what Hashim Thaci’s wife looks like in pictures with Trump and his wife, however, the celebrity culture that we are immersed in demands that this is ‘news.’
Isa Mustafa, Shpend Ahmeti and Albin Kurti are not dissimilar to such cult leaders, while in the recent general election, Kadri Veseli also tried to get in on the act.
Information and ideas entering the public sphere are key in a healthy democracy but not if they are unchecked and ruthlessly promoted on social media.
Dafina Paca
Dafina Paca is a newly qualified doctor, who recently started work as a resident doctor in paediatric surgery at the University Hospital of Wales and a lecturer at Cardiff University. She completed her PhD at Cardiff University, her MBBCh at Swansea University and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She also holds an MRes and a BA from Queen Mary University of London. Her work examines migration, diaspora, memory and belonging, and the structural inequalities that shape education, healthcare, remembrance, public and political life.
DISCLAIMERThe views of the writer do not necessarily reflect the views of Kosovo 2.0.
This story was originally written in English.