ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on everyday discussion in online contexts, in particular aggressive discussion. It provides a more in depth review of these three recent contributions to the discussion literature. The final area of political discussion research that will be addressed here is scholars' attempts to classify various forms of discussion. The role of discussion in US politics has been prominent in the political realm harkening back to the days of the coffee houses of Colonial America and discussion has been an important area of research for communication scholars. Engaging in political conversations allows us to gain new information, and can lead to cognitive processes that encourage deeper elaboration about important issues facing society. The importance of disentangling discussion means that scholars can now make important distinctions between different types of discussion. The role of political discussion between citizens is an important issue to examine when trying to understand democratic behaviors.
