Politica scandalului și iluzia participării: Hobbyism politic, industrie a indignării și transformarea spațiului public românesc

Abstract

The Politics of Scandal and the Illusion of Participation: Political Hobbyism, the Outrage Industry, and the Transformation of the Romanian Public Sphere
This article analyzes recent transformations of the Romanian public sphere marked by polarization, scandal-driven discourse, and declining trust in political institutions. Drawing on Eitan Hersh’s distinction between political hobbyism and activism, it argues that much contemporary political engagement is limited to emotional reaction rather than organized action. This dynamic is reinforced by the “outrage industry”, which promotes conflict-centered political communication. The article shows how public outrage is often mistaken for democratic participation, leading to the formation of irreconcilable opinion bubbles and the erosion of public deliberation. The central claim is that these processes generate an illusion of participation that weakens civic activism and transforms politics into spectacle, with significant consequences for democratic life in Romania.