Flow as a Framework to Engage Youth in Participatory Politics on Social Media Platforms

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that youth's increased exposure to political content on social media platforms does not correlate positively with an increased interest in politics. This seemingly contradictory high exposure versus low interest indicates a certain level of apathy towards political participation. This article proposes that in order for youth to experience a stronger engagement in participatory politics, they need to feel challenged and skilled enough to be able to make an impact. This article draws on Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory premise that a state of total absorption, or "flow," can be attained in a game-like environment in which the actors are highly skilled and the challenges match their skills. The author proposes a framework that relies on combining memes' viral properties-their ability to transmit political content-and the strength of engagement in a game-like environment to create politically provocative memes able to improve youth participation in politics.