ABSTRACT
Online participation in formal politics is fraught with difficulties for women, and many have argued that the intemperate and uncivil tone of much online discussion represents a threat to democratic norms and values. Recent scholarship emphasises the impact of incivility, intolerance and hate speech in digital spaces. While these studies contribute enormously to our understanding this primary focus on overtly abusive or hateful content misses other, more everyday ways in which marginalised people are subjected to discrimination. This chapter argues that a broader view is needed to better understand how digital technologies reinforce or perpetuate inequalities and perhaps discourage marginalised people from participating in public life. The chapter introduces Harmer and Lumsden's concept of “online othering” as a useful way of encapsulating the myriad power contestations and abusive behaviours which are manifested on/through online spaces. The chapter first outlines the concept before illustrating how it can be used in the analysis of online content, by presenting a brief analysis of Mail Online reader comments about the former British Home Secretary Priti Patel.
