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Politics Is for Power

How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change

Eitan Hersh

Scribner, 2020

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In a world awash in national dramas and hot takes, US political scientist Eitan Hersh questions why we consume news. Does it keep us politically informed, or does it, in fact, prevent us from becoming more actively engaged? Hersh presents a theory of political hobbyism: A growing number of people, he argues, are treating politics as a pastime rather than a means of acquiring and exercising power. Through striking statistics and inspiring stories, Hersh explores the development of this passive approach to politics, what it means for democracy and whether it can – or should – be overcome.

Summary

In a world awash in national dramas and hot takes, American political scientist Eitan Hersh questions why we consume news. Does it keep us politically informed, or does it, in fact, prevent us from becoming more actively engaged? Hersh presents a theory of political hobbyism: A growing number of people, he argues, are treating politics as a pastime rather than a means of acquiring and exercising power. Through striking statistics and inspiring stories, Hersh explores the development of this passive approach to politics, what it means for democracy and whether it can – or should – be overcome.

Many Americans have made a hobby out of following politics.

Hobbies – socially approved activities people do in their free time because they enjoy them – generally fall into four categories: the collecting of objects, the acquisition of knowledge, crafts and group activities. When people treat politics as a hobby, their activities center on acquiring knowledge in the form of political news and making crafts in the form of political content, such as tweets, memes or podcasts.

Most political hobbyists don’t acquire knowledge in order to take ...

About the Author

Eitan Hersh is a political scientist at Tufts University. His research and teaching focus on voting rights, US elections and civic participation.

Politics Is for Power

How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change

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Many Americans have made a hobby out of following politics.

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