Social Media, Democracy & Economic Inequality w/ Philosopher ARASH ABIZADEH

How is economic inequality undermining our democratic systems? In what ways is social media reshaping political landscapes and democracy? Can we design political institutions that adapt to rapid social and technological changes while remaining stable? How is journalism critical for the health of our democracies? Arash Abizadeh is the R.B. Angus Professor of Political Science at McGill University. His research has focused on democratic theory, including topics such as immigration and border control. Abizadeh also specializes in 17th and 18th century philosophy and has recently published the book Hobbes and the Two Faces of Ethics. He is currently working on a book about social and political power and is the Associate Editor of Free & Equal: a Journal of Ethics and Public Affairs. “There's a tension between what democracy needs for a public sphere in order to sustain our democratic institutions and our liberties over the long run and what for-profit commercial corporations need to do to maximize people's time on social media to increase their profits. We know that some of the algorithms that, for example, Facebook was using tend to make prominent posts that engage people the most, often appealing to a sense of outrage, fear, or anger. This can affect the health of the deliberative public sphere.”