Internet political discussion forums as an argumentative activity type: A pragma-dialectical analysis of online forms of strategic manoeuvring in reacting critically

Internet political discussion forums have been seen as either a great opportunity for or a great threat to argumentation in the public sphere. What is missing in much debate about merits and demerits of online discourse is an account of how the characteristics of online political discussion forums affect the shape and quality of particular argumentative moves. The goal of this study is to provide such an account by examining Internet forums as a specific context for argumentation, that is, as one of the argumentative activity types. In particular, the conditions for reacting critically to argumentation are analysed. It is argued that the minimally designed, informal, pseudonymous and highly contentious public discussions in online forums give ample opportunity for reacting critically. Some characteristic patterns of reacting critically in online discussions are recognised and analysed as strategic manoeuvres meant to give rhetorical advantage in online political disputes. This study contributes to improving our appreciation of argumentation in the context of online political discussions and to enhancing a contextual approach to studying ordinary discourse from the perspective of argumentation theory.