Gendered Political Communication on Social Media During Election Campaigns in India: A Comparative Content Analysis of Male and Female Politicians

Abstract

Political communication in India has undergone a profound transformation with the rapid expansion of social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. These platforms have enabled politicians to directly engage with voters while simultaneously exposing gendered differences in political messaging, audience engagement, media framing, and online harassment. Although numerous studies have examined social media in election campaigns, limited scholarship has comparatively synthesized how male and female politicians communicate differently in India's electoral context. This review systematically analyzes existing literature published between 2014 and 2025 to examine gendered patterns in political communication across major social media platforms during Indian election campaigns. Following PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar are analyzed through thematic content analysis. The review identifies significant differences in Communication style, Issue framing, Emotional expression, Leadership portrayal, Audience engagement, Algorithmic visibility, and Exposure to online abuse. Female politicians are found to emphasize welfare, inclusiveness, participatory governance, and citizen interaction, while male politicians predominantly employ assertive, nationalistic, leadership-centered, and campaign-oriented messaging. The review further highlights the persistence of misogyny, gender stereotypes, and coordinated online attacks that disproportionately affect women's political participation. The paper concludes by proposing an integrated framework for understanding gendered political communication in India's evolving digital democracy and identifies important research gaps for future empirical investigations.