Casual Democracy

This open access book asks how the retreat of local journalism and the advance of social media platforms reshapes democracy at the grassroots level. It presents a unique ethnographic exploration of two distinct communities—Frederiksberg in Denmark and Ringwood in England—and introduces the concept of "casual democracy" as a provocative new way to think about the fluid, informal, and often unpredictable nature of local public spheres increasingly dominated by platforms like Facebook. Through immersive fieldwork and insightful analysis, the book examines how these communities navigate the ethical, epistemic and democratic norms of deliberation. At its heart, this book grapples with the vital consequences for democratic participation and deliberation when platforms redefine the public realm. Blending rigorous scholarship with engaging narrative storytelling, Casual Democracy is essential reading not just for academics, but for anyone concerned with the future of local democracy and the health of public discourse in the digital age.

Steen Steensen (PhD) is Research Dean at the Faculty of Social Sciences and professor of journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway. He holds a visiting professorship at Bournemouth University in the UK and an adjunct professorship at Kristiania University College in Norway. Steensen is the author of numerous journal articles and books concerning the development of news, journalism and public discourse in digital times, and he is a former journalist and feature writer for Norwegian newspapers and magazines.