This masters' thesis, "Digital Structure and Communicative Politics" (SÖX202, 41- 80, 30 ECTS), authored by Martin Berg, under supervision of Jan-Olof Nilsson, will be presented on seminar 2002-10-07 at the Department of Sociology, Lund University. One of the main concerns in this study is the perception that individuals are able to exceed the subjective reality by means of communication. Following the theoretical discourse of Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann (1991), a change of the subjective reality is seen as associated with changes at the objective level. Considering this theoretical framework, the conception of "digital structure" (the internet and its text-based interface) as offering an arena facilitating transformative communication is related to a notion of identity politics. Understanding how a political platform, disconnected from the established political infrastructure, emanates from digital communication and its structure is the main purpose with this study. By elaborating the concept "co-operative sub-realities" in dialogue with Jürgen Habermas (1995, 1997), a new dimension is given to the concept subjective reality and interpersonal communication. Focusing on personal transformation through communicative action, fundamental questions related to social change through social interaction are sketched and discussed in the light of characteristics of "virtual space". An understanding of how social digital life differs from everyday life in "real space" is developed, laying the foundation for an integration of the concept of "digital structure" into the theoretical framework, striking a balance between "real space" and "virtual space". Considering the ability to interpersonal transformation and social change through communicative action when performed within "virtual space", a "digital communicative politics" is developed. This politics builds on the idea that digital structure enables a disembodiment and objectification of one's self. Taking into account the discussion of how "real space" relates to "virtual space" and the attempt to integrate a macro- and micro perspective of sociology while undertaking an analysis of the digital structure, the...
