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Women in politics and their presence in twitter: Argentina as a case study

Abstract:

The use of Online Social Networks (OSNs) in electoral campaigns is no longer an option for candidates and their campaign teams. Their performance in the virtual public sphere will mark substantial differences at the time of vote. Indeed, although the presence of politicians in social media does not guarantee their victory in elections, it is unthinkable to build their public profile outside of OSNs. The present study intends to analyze the use of Twitter by the main female political leaders during the campaign of the mid-term legislative elections in Argentina in 2017. Specifically, it aims to investigate the issues promoted by the Argentine leaders in Twitter, the interactions they had with 'traditional' media and the type of dialogue they established with each other. Likewise, based on their profiles, an attempt to identify which leadership characteristics these candidates possess will be made. Finally, we will study the influence of the gender and location variables in their narratives.