1. 1 International Teledemocracy Centre - ITC e Participation: eEnabling to eEmpowerment Prof. Ann Macintosh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK email: a.macintosh@napier.ac.uk web: itc.napier.ac.uk

2. 2 The context  A sense that the public has disengaged from formal political processes  A belief that technologies can be used to support governments re-engage with citizens.

3. 3 For discussion  Where are we now?  What are the research challenges?

4. 4 eParticipation - the use of ICT to support: Information provision e-enabling Ground-up empowerment e-empowerment Top-down engagement e-consultation Opportunity for partnershipMore considered contributions Reaching & informing a wider community

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8. 8 The eParticipation methods landscape Type of eEngagement / Stage in policy life cycle e-Enabling Information provision e-Consultation Top-down engagament e-Empowerment Ground-up engagement Agenda-setting Webcasts; FAQ; Blogs; Alerts; ….. Quick Poll; Surveys; Chat Room; Decision-making Game; Discussion Forum; e-Panel; e-Deliberative Polling Discussion Forum; e- Panel; e-Petition; virtual community Analysis Webcasts; FAQ; Blogs; Alerts; Decision-making Games; … Surveys; Chat Room; Decision- making Game; Discussion Forum; e-Panel; e- Deliberative Polling Discussion Forum; e- Panel; e-Petition; virtual community Formation FAQ; AlertsDiscussion Forum; e-Panel; e- Deliberative Polling Discussion Forum; e- Panel; e-Petition; virtual community Implementation Alertse-Deliberative Polling;e-Petition; virtual community Monitoring FAQ; BlogsQuick Poll; Surveys; e- Deliberative Polling; Discussion Forum; e- Petition; virtual community

9. 9 The situation  Are governments re-engaging with the public?  Are technologies enabling this re- engagement? No! There are promises but there are problems

10. 10 For discussion  Where are we now?  What are the research challenges?

11. 11 Some research issues  The need to support elected representatives  The need to support large-scale interactivity  The need for explicit participatory processes

12. 12 What do colleagues and experts think? Track committee actions Secure discussion space What do we decide? Remote e-voting for individual ballots Remote e- polling on committee issues committee members on the move Catalonian, Dutch, Hungarian and Lithuanian Parliaments, Westmeath County Council, Napier University ITC, HP, Scytl and Gov2U What’s new? Parliamentary document search Committee events notification

13. 13 Some research issues  The need to support elected representatives  The need to support large-scale interactivity  The need for explicit participatory processes

14. 14

15. 15 Some research issues  The need to support elected representatives  The need to support large-scale interactivity  The need for explicit participatory processes

16. 16 e-Petitioner System

17. 17 Network of Excellence www.demo-net.org

18. 18 The Consortium (1) oDigital North Denmark (DK) oThe University of Leeds (UK) o Ö rebro University (S) oUniversity of Koblenz (D) oFraunhofer AIS (D) oUniversity of Bremen, ifib (D) oUniversity of Macedonia (GR) oInstitute of Communication and Computer Systems, ICCS (GR) oCopenhagen Business School (DK) oAalborg University (DK)

19. 19 The Consortium (2) oFondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (F) oTechnical University of Košice (SK) oConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT) oUniversity of Bergamo (IT) oYorkshire and Humber Assembly (UK) oEuropean Projects & Management Agency / Vysocina Region, EPMA (CZ) oNapier University (UK) oUniversity of Iceland (IS) oUniversity of Helsinki (SF) oITA(Austria) oUniversity of Southern California (US)

20. 20 Research Centres worldwide

21. 21 Conclusions oBut: –To what extent can technology start to re-address the democratic deficit given that the main barriers are cultural, organisational and constitutional? Thank you!