Showing papers in "JeDEM: eJournal of eDemocracy and Open Government in 2012"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the opening and the free usage of stored public sector data, supplied by state, and discuss the preparation and free access to existing data permit varied approaches to reuse of data, discussed in the article.
Abstract: This article explores the opening and the free usage of stored public sector data, supplied by state. In the age of Open Government and Open Data it’s not enough just to put data online. It should be rather weighed out whether, how and which supplied public sector data can be published. Open Data are defined as stored data which could be made accessible in a public interest without any restrictions for usage and distribution. These Open Data can possibly be statistics, geo data, maps, plans, environmental data and weather data in addition to materials of the parliaments, ministries and authorities. The preparation and the free access to existing data permit varied approaches to the reuse of data, discussed in the article. In addition, impulses can be given for Open Government – the opening of state and administration, to more transparency, participation and collaboration as well as to innovation and business development. The Open Data movement tries to get to the bottom of current publication processes in the public sector which could be formed even more friendly to citizens and enterprises.
96 citations
TL;DR: The paper shows that using metadata with the appropriate metadata architecture can yield considerable benefits for LOD publication and use, including improving find ability, accessibility, storing, preservation, analysing, comparing, reproducing, finding inconsistencies, correct interpretation, visualizing, linking data, assessing and ranking the quality of data and avoiding unnecessary duplication of data.
Abstract: Public and private organizations increasingly release their data to gain benefits such as transparency and economic growth. The use of these open data can be supported and stimulated by providing considerable metadata (data about the data), including discovery, contextual and detailed metadata. In this paper we argue that metadata are key enablers for the effective use of Linked Open Data (LOD). We illustrate the potential of metadata by 1) presenting an overview of advantages and disadvantages of metadata derived from literature, 2) presenting metadata requirements for LOD architectures derived from literature, workshops and a questionnaire, 3) describing a LOD metadata architecture that meets the requirements and 4) showing examples of the application of this architecture in the ENGAGE project. The paper shows that using metadata with the appropriate metadata architecture can yield considerable benefits for LOD publication and use, including improving find ability, accessibility, storing, preservation, analysing, comparing, reproducing, finding inconsistencies, correct interpretation, visualizing, linking data, assessing and ranking the quality of data and avoiding unnecessary duplication of data. The Common European Research Information Format (CERIF) can be used to build the metadata architecture and achieve the advantages.
87 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue for the application of the public value concept to research into open government and argue that open government is to be seen in the context of citizens' rights: the right to actively participate in the process of agenda setting and decision-making.
Abstract: "Open" is not just a fancy synonym for transparent and accountable. The "Open" in Open Government, Open Data, Open Information, and Open Innovation stands for the changing relation between citizens and authorities. Many citizens no longer accept the passive stance representative democracy held for them. They take an active approach in setting up better means of collaboration by ICTs. They demand and gain access to their historically grown collective knowledge stored in government data. Not just on a local level, they actively shape the political agenda. Open Government is to be seen in the context of citizens‘ rights: the right to actively participate in the process of agenda-setting and decision-making. Research into open government needs to address the value of the changing relation between citizens, public administration, and political authority. The paper argues finally for the application of the Public Value concept to research into open government.
49 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine three accusations of slacktivism leveled against online participants: they are detached from formal politics and therefore do not aim to influence political outcomes, they are lazy citizens choosing easily accessible digital forms of engagement over more effective traditional activities, and they are incapable of comprehending the functioning of the political system.
Abstract: Following an initial euphoria over the democratising potential of the Internet, sceptic voices contend that participation via the Internet may increase existing inequalities and even weaken the influence of citizens. A central critique claims that the digital activities are nothing more than slacktivism, i.e. activities that enhance the feel good factor of the participant but have no impact on real life political outcomes. This study examines three accusations of slacktivism levelled against online participants: that they are detached from formal politics and therefore do not aim to influence political outcomes, that they are lazy citizens choosing easily accessible digital forms of engagement over more effective traditional activities, and that they are incapable of comprehending the functioning of the political system. The results suggest that there is little reason to be worried over any negative impact of the Internet on civic engagement, since the virtual participants are both active and competent citizens. In this sense, the accusation of slacktivism against the participants appears to be misguided.
42 citations
TL;DR: The role humour plays in politics, particularly in a media environment overflowing with user-generated video, was discussed in this article, where the manipulation of images is embedded in everyday practices and may be of political consequence, namely by deflating politicians' constructed media image.
Abstract: This article aims to discuss the role humour plays in politics, particularly in a media environment overflowing with user-generated video. We start with a genealogy of political satire, from classical to Internet times, followed by a general description of “the Hitler meme,” a series of videos on YouTube featuring footage from the film Der Untergang and nonsensical subtitles. Amid video-games, celebrities, and the Internet itself, politicians and politics are the target of twenty-first century caricatures. By analysing these videos we hope to elucidate how the manipulation of images is embedded in everyday practices and may be of political consequence, namely by deflating politicians' constructed media image. The realm of image, at the centre of the Internet's technological culture, is connected with decisive aspects of today's social structure of knowledge and play. It is timely to understand which part of “playing” is in fact an expressive practice with political significance.
36 citations
TL;DR: The eJournal of eDemocracy and Open Government (JeDEM) as discussed by the authors is a peer-reviewed, Open Access journal published twice a year and addresses theory and practice in the areas of eGovernment, eParticipation, and eSociety.
Abstract: The eJournal of eDemocracy and Open Government (JeDEM) is a peer-reviewed, Open Access journal (ISSN: 2075-9517) published twice a year. It addresses theory and practice in the areas of eDemocracy and Open Government as well as eGovernment, eParticipation, and eSociety. JeDEM publishes ongoing and completed research, case studies and project descriptions that are selected after a rigorous blind review by experts in the field.
27 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the rapid and ad hoc development and interactions of participative citizen communities during acute events, using the examples of the 2011 floods in Queensland, Australia, and the global controversy surrounding Wikileaks and its spokesman, Julian Assange.
Abstract: This paper examines the rapid and ad hoc development and interactions of participative citizen communities during acute events, using the examples of the 2011 floods in Queensland, Australia, and the global controversy surrounding Wikileaks and its spokesman, Julian Assange. The self-organising community responses to such events which can be observed in these cases bypass or leapfrog, at least temporarily, most organisational or administrative hurdles which may otherwise frustrate the establishment of online communities; they fast-track the processes of community development and structuration. By understanding them as a form of rapid prototyping, e-democracy initiatives can draw important lessons from observing the community activities around such acute events.
27 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the role of human behavior on citizens' e-democracy adoption and provided a theoretical grounded model that explains e- democracy adoption adapted from the theory of Planned Behavior adapted from an empirical examination of constructs using data from randomly selected sub-Saharan African countries.
Abstract: Prior information systems (IS) research has provided valuable insight on technology adoption and use which is critical in deriving the benefits of information technology. These studies have utilized theories such as Technology Acceptance Model, Theory of Reason Action, and Technological determinism model to investigate technology adoption. This study continues in this line of research by evaluating the perspectives of investigating the concept of e-democracy within the framework of the Planned Behavioral Theory an extension to the Theory of Reason Action. The article seeks to explain internet and mobile enhanced citizen’s participation in democracy (e-democracy) base on their inherent (attitude) and environmental (subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) enablers and barriers to participate in e-democracy, and how the internet and wireless technologies can help to address democratic issues in resource poor settings such as the Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). The study takes the perspective of critical realism and thus provides an example of the application of this research paradigm in an empirical study. We investigated this phenomenon by providing a theoretical grounded model that explains e-democracy adoption adapted from the theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and tested from an empirical examination of constructs using data from randomly selected sub-Saharan African countries. The results render support for the proposed hypotheses, emphasizing the role of human behavior on citizens’ e-democracy adoption.
24 citations
TL;DR: The 2010 Swedish elections were the first in Sweden where social media platforms were used to a large extent by politicians and parties in their campaigns as discussed by the authors, and they followed the liberal parliamentari...
Abstract: The elections 2010 were the first in Sweden where social media platforms were used to a large extent by politicians and parties in their campaigns. In this paper we follow the liberal parliamentari ...
17 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that different rationales for public participation in policymaking animate different approaches to discourse, which, in turn, inform and are affected by different design and use strategies for e-deliberation platforms.
Abstract: Social media are considered ideal means to promote inclusive political participation by “reaching citizens where they are” in scalable and cost-effective ways. However, with all the excitement about the new virtual public sphere, little attention is given to the technical mediation itself – the affordances of e-deliberation platforms and the kind of interactions they support. In response, this paper aims to thicken the account of the interrelated political and technological contexts of e-deliberation. Using recent Facebook deliberations on sustainable transportation in Vancouver as our example, we argue that different rationales for public participation in policymaking animate different approaches to discourse, which, in turn, inform and are affected by different design and use strategies for e-deliberation platforms. Our argument suggests that the design affordances of e-deliberation represent opportunities to promote or curtail certain visions of a political culture of sustainability.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated why politicians use those technologies and integrate them more and more in their everyday workflow, in addition to the purpose of social network usage, the focus of their paper is also on best practices and how to deal with challenges like authenticity of politicians' online profiles.
Abstract: This article covers our findings on information behavior and dissemination of parliamentary decision-makers in terms of using Social Networking Sites like Facebook. The article investigates why politicians use those technologies and integrate them more and more in their everyday workflow. In addition to the purpose of social network usage, the focus of our paper is also on best practices and how to deal with challenges like authenticity of politicians’ online profiles. The results presented within the remit of this paper are the outcome of 16 semi-structured interviews that took place as part of an evaluation effort within the EU research project WeGov [1]. The overall aim of the project is to develop a toolbox that enriches the dialogue between citizens and politicians on the web.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the participation characteristics within internet-based collective action by analysing the case of digital rights campaigning and discuss how digital rights activists organize, collaborate and mobilise using websites, mailing lists, wikis and instant messaging channels.
Abstract: The paper examines the participation characteristics within internet-based collective action by analysing the case of digital rights campaigning. Drawing upon empirical findings from a case study (the “Telecoms Package” campaign, 2007-2009), we discuss how digital rights activists organise, collaborate and mobilise using websites, mailing lists, wikis and instant messaging channels. Participation is individualised and malleable. However, successful digital rights’ campaigning requires political, technical and social skills. To intervene in EU policy-making, activists need technical and political expertise and technological skills. As a result and contrary to claims of inclusiveness and openness, digital rights campaigning is in fact dominated by a small group of highly specialised movement entrepreneurs who mobilise occasionally to demonstrate broader support to policy-makers. The emergence of internet-based campaigning does not necessarily equal to more inclusive forms of participation. However, it allows for the engagement of resource-poor actors in traditional policy settings such as the EU.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the underlying structures that support participation and reputation in online crowd and community-based peer productions, and how these affect who controls and who contributes information.
Abstract: This paper explores the underlying structures that support participation and reputation in online crowd and community-based peer productions. Building on writings on open source, peer production, participatory culture, and social networks, the paper describes crowd and community structures as two ends of a continuum of collective action - from lightweight to heavyweight - differentiated by the extent of connectivity and engagement between contributions and among contributors. This is followed by an examination of the recognition, reputation and reward systems that support these collectives, and how these affect who controls and who contributes information. The aim of this exploration is to gain insight for understanding motivations and structures for e-participation in these different, potentially democratic, forums.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the case of the second participatory budget of the German city of Gutersloh and identified three major rationales for real name policy in e-participatory projects.
Abstract: The paper relates the debate about real name policy on social networking platforms and online forums to online moderated consultation processes in the area of e-participation. It analyses the case of the second participatory budget of the German city of Gutersloh. Three major rationales for real name policy in e-participatory projects are identified: the possibility to restrict access, prevention of offensive communication, and the strengthening of a transparent democracy. The five major objections identified are: distraction from issue-related dialogue, violation of privacy rights, administrative problems causing high expenditure of time and costs, negative media and public attention, and usability problems that may result in a low rate of participation. The evidence found indicates that the negative consequences of real name policy outweigh the positive ones. Important directions of further research are pointed out. The paper is an extended version of a paper presented at the Conference for E-Democracy and Open Government in 2012.
TL;DR: In this article, a network ethnography approach is used to demonstrate how this online sphere was used to influence the recent Manchester Congestion Charge referendum in the UK and illustrates the online sphere as a locally contested political space where "politics as usual" appears to prevail.
Abstract: The debate on the potential of the internet to transform democratic practice appears to have settled around a balanced, empirically driven consensus that sees the internet as a political sphere of influence. This article acknowledges this and drawing upon a network ethnography approach provides empirical evidence demonstrating how this online sphere was used to influence the recent Manchester Congestion Charge referendum in the UK. It illustrates the online sphere as a locally contested political space where ‘politics as usual’ appears to prevail. Nonetheless, it also provides evidence of civic activists ably using the online network to get their voices heard and argues that prospects for this online sphere enhancing local democracy are in fact contingent upon the agency of these activists and local policy makers.
TL;DR: The Smart Mobility project as discussed by the authors aims at designing measures to encourage the increased use of public and non-motorised transport by integrating behavioural economic principles into public policy, and the extensive involvement of citizens and their participation in the design of the measures are to support their democratic legitimization and later acceptance.
Abstract: The paper discusses the theoretical concepts, design considerations and preliminary findings from Smart Mobility, a research project currently being undertaken with the City of St. Gallen. The project aims at designing measures to encourage the increased use of public and non-motorised transport by integrating behavioural economic principles into public policy. The extensive involvement of citizens and their participation in the design of the measures are to support their democratic legitimization and later acceptance. The paper describes the energy policies behind the project and outlines the theoretical framework for integrating behavioural insights into public policy. The strategies envisaged include participatory instruments and methods, especially the use of existing social media channels, capitalizing on social processes and norms to increase the motivation of individuals to use public transport, creating an open innovation space by means of crowdsourcing as well as the proper framing of political communication to achieve changes in mobility patterns.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess three European countries from the point of view of key democratic dimensions: equality, accountability, and political responsiveness, and show that parliamentary informatics projects achieve mixed results in terms of democratic quality.
Abstract: �� � Abstract: The past decade has brought a boom of online initiatives that monitor the performance of parliaments - a practice commonly referred to as 'parliamentary informatics'. A recent survey identified 191 organisations monitoring over 80 parliaments worldwide; many of these use digital tools to aggregate information and facilitate citizens' involvement in parliamentary activity (Mandelbaum 2011). At the same time, little is actually known about who uses these platforms and whether they increase the quality of democracy. This paper aims to fill this gap by assessing parliamentary informatics projects in three European countries from the point of view of key democratic dimensions: equality, accountability, and political responsiveness. In particular, the paper shows that parliamentary informatics projects achieve mixed results in terms of democratic quality. Many of the traditionally underrepresented groups in politics have even more limited presence on these online platforms. Accountability - including access to user-friendly, close to real-time, and objective political information that help ordinary citizens to hold their representative accountable - turns out to be the strong point of this type of project. However, users do not consider transparency of information to be enough. Many participants build up significant expectations about the political effects of their engagement. Yet, their expectations are generally disappointed by lack of impact. �
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyse the processes in the UK and Germany of implementing the EU data retention directive, focusing on each national implementation of the EU Directive 2006/24/EC.
Abstract: The internet stays a high potential infrastructure of open interaction, hence, governmental desires in monitoring the internet are growing. A demonstrative example might be the attempts to make any technology based communication ‘traceable’ with the help of a European scheme of data retention (EU direction 2006/24/EC) and its national ratifications. Regarding this, two theses come up: First, governments try to achieve their logic of ‘real life’ internal security also within the internet regime. Second, the internet changed the society in so far as it opened space for new relevant communities and actors – lobbying more and more on institutionalised paths. This will be shown by analysing the processes in the UK and Germany. A focus will lie on each national implementation of the EU’s data retention directive. Societal and especially political differences will find some notion as well, as they build the framework of any political decision making process.
TL;DR: The WeGov toolbox is introduced as a tool for analysing citizens’ comments and behaviour pertaining to news stories, and different analysis components are applied to analyse the data to distil the essence of the social network users’ comment to determine influential users and identify important comments.
Abstract: We describe a method whereby a governmental policy maker can discover citizens' reaction to news stories. This is particularly relevant in the political world, where governments' policy statements are reported by the news media and discussed by citizens. The work here addresses two main questions: whereabouts are citizens discussing a news story, and what are they saying? Our strategy to answer the first question is to find news articles pertaining to the policy statements, and then perform internet searches for references to the news articles' headlines and URLs. We have created a software tool that schedules repeating Google searches for the news articles and collects the results in a database, enabling the user to aggregate and analyse them to produce ranked tables of sites that reference the news articles. Using data mining techniques we can analyse data so that resultant ranking reflects an overall aggregate score, taking into account multiple datasets, and this shows the most relevant places on the internet where the story is discussed. To answer the second question, we introduce the WeGov toolbox as a tool for analysing citizens' comments and behaviour pertaining to news stories. We first use the tool for identifying social network discussions, using different strategies for Facebook and Twitter. We apply different analysis components to analyse the data to distil the essence of the social network users' comments, to determine influential users and identify important comments.
TL;DR: Demos-Plan and Electronic Town Meeting as mentioned in this paper have been tested in 18 local pilots across several regions of Europe, from Ulster (UK) to Sicily and Tuscany (Italy), from Turku Archipelago (Finland) to Voroklini (Cyprus) and selected policy domains include Spatial Planning, Socio-economic programming, Strategic Environmental Assessment, and Open Government.
Abstract: This paper collects some evidence from a now completed EU-funded project, aimed at the localisation and institutionalisation of two eParticipatory tools, DEMOS-Plan and the Electronic Town Meeting, within real public administration processes. The independent or combined usage of the two tools, supported by the Living Labs approach has been tested in 18 local pilots across several regions of Europe, from Ulster (UK) to Sicily and Tuscany (Italy), from Turku Archipelago (Finland) to Voroklini (Cyprus). Selected policy domains include (among others): Spatial Planning, Socio-Economic Programming, Strategic Environmental Assessment, and Open Government. Deployment has led to a number of interesting implications for the European public authorities, such as: i) building up of a cost effective ICT platform that enables regular or occasional consultation of remotely and sparsely located citizens and stakeholders; ii) gradually migrating the whole administrative system related to spatial data infrastructure towards a full digitalisation of the “legally compulsory” exchanges between planning agencies, local stakeholders and the general public; and iii) setting the stage for these two facilities to become practically interoperable to each other and across different EU Member States.
TL;DR: In this article, Karna et al. proposed the centrality of citizens in context of eGovernment and further build upon the original concept of deeming eGovernment as State Social Responsibility (SSR) by governments at all levels.
Abstract: Democracies around the world now face Citizen-apathy. This is a concern now more than ever faced by countries around the globe. eGovernment is undoubtedly a platform to deliberate and enable citizens regain confidence and faith in democratic processes. Citizens now seek Verifiable, Open, Transparent, Empathetic, Responsive and Sensitive Electronic Democracy and Government (VOTERS EDG, Karna, 2012). Similar to corporate world, there are voices stressing on govenments for the need to understand the stakeholders, their involvement, relationships and responsibilities of a state in eGovernance. Citizens everywhere now demand Verifiable, Open, Transparent, Empathetic, Responsive and Sensitive Electronically Democratic Government as a State Social Responsibity (SSR). Peoples movements and outbursts against authorities with the help of Word of Mouse (Karna, 2012) have established that transparent and open governance is the need of the hour. This paper presents findings of the study conducted in an Australian City Council for preparing the city council for ‘City e-readiness’ to initiate e-Government activities. We propose the idea of ‘Centrality of Citizens’ in context of eGovernment. We further build upon the original concept of deeming eGovernment as ‘State Social Responsibility’ (SSR) (Karna, 2010), by governments at all levels.