HOMO VIRTUALIS AS BIOS POLITIKOS: NEW DIMENSIONS OF POLITICAL IDENTITY

Abstract

The rapid evolution of communication technologies and information production profoundly affects personal identity, reshaping traditional forms of political identification and fostering new modes of engagement in the public sphere. This study explores how political identity is being transformed in the digital era, shifting from stable, collective affiliations toward more fluid, network-based configurations. Drawing on the works of contemporary philosophers, sociologists, media theorists who examine the information and network society, the study examines the impact of digital platforms, social media, and algorithmic governance on both individual and collective political identities. The emergence of decentralized and issue-driven political affiliations challenges traditional party-based and nation-state identity models.
Social media fosters new forms of activism, enabling rapid mobilization and contributing to polarization and the fragmentation of public discourse. At the same time, digital communication empowers marginalized groups, providing them with platforms for political expression and collective action beyond traditional institutional frameworks.
This research argues that political identity in the information society is increasingly dynamic, adaptive, and shaped by both technological affordances and socio-cultural transformations. Digital technologies thus embody a dual potential: while they expand opportunities for participation and pluralism, they also create new challenges for democratic deliberation and the stability of political commitments. Understanding these shifts is crucial for analyzing contemporary political behavior and the evolving landscape of democratic governance. Focusing on the figure of homo virtualis, the study analyzes how political identity is reconfigured through digital mediation. By tracing the shift from embodied to digital presence, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of political subjectivity in the age of informationalism.