DIGSSCORE Seminar: Data-driven campaigning in a multiparty system: differences in perception and implementation between local, regional, and national party levels in Sweden

Linn A.C. Sandberg, Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen, will present for us today. She will present a paper titled "Data-driven campaigning in a multiparty system: differences in perception and implementation between local, regional, and national party levels in Sweden", co-written with Anamaria Dutceac Segesten (Lund University). 

The event is in a hybrid format, you are welcome to join us for lunch from the Corner room at DIGSSCORE. Food is provided on a first-come first-served basis. Zoom link for digital attendance.

Abstract:

Political campaigns have kept up with technological development and have evolved with the integration of advanced analytics. This has enabled parties to use vast amounts of data to precisely target voters and personalize their messaging. Political parties, particularly in multi-party systems, are still only slowly and gradually adapting to the benefits of online technology (Dommett et al. 2022). This study examines data-driven campaign practices in Sweden, mapping the similarities and differences between parties’ views and applications of data analytics for their electoral campaigns. As a first study, we include the sub national level, to establish if differences are larger between parties than within. Our empirical analysis builds on interviews with campaign managers for all Swedish parliamentary parties, nationally, regionally, and locally in Sweden during the 2022 election year. Preliminary results show variation among parties in their approach to and use of data. However, there are considerable differences also within parties, which, suggests that regional and local levels play a role in the adoption of data-driven practices. In many cases, it would seem like these can also function as drivers for DDC that the national party secretariat implement.