Political talk in nonpolitical digital spaces

In recent years, scholars in communication and media studies have increasingly turned their attention to political discourse that emerges incidentally within ostensibly nonpolitical digital contexts. These political discussions not only permeate diverse online platforms and communities, but also carry significant democratic potential. Despite growing interest in the phenomenon, existing research remains fragmented across distinct theoretical traditions and lacks a coherent conceptual understanding. This article addresses that gap by reviewing studies in three epistemological orientations – post-positivist, interpretive, and critical – that can guide the analysis of political talk in nonpolitical digital environments. In doing so, it highlights how this group of phenomena can be understood and interpreted with different theoretical assumptions, thereby enabling scholars to better assess their communicative and political significance. This review offers a foundation for more integrative and theoretically informed research on the various dimensions of political expression in digital networked publics.