Digital Topoi: Localizing the Consolidation Practices of Citizens

Abstract

The paper discusses the transforming practices of citizens’ consolidation in terms of mobile digital communication. Participating in informational interaction with means of messengers, even with goals of phatic communication, is the crucial practice of consolidation of citizens in the XXI century. The author implies the conception of “digital topos” to indicate the new “places” where contemporary interaction practices and consolidations are localized. Nowadays, the localization of communities bases on rather communicational than functional and spatial principle. Moreover, the physical presence of individuals at a location and functional participation in activities does not guarantee the position of an active participant of group processes and consolidating involvement. The social media groups and collective chats in messengers are the emerging topoi integrated into the net mechanisms of constructing and supporting the citizens’ identities and making decisions. The paper concludes that the localization of communities is based rather on communicational than functional and spatial principle.