- Authors:
- Stephen Coleman,
- Peter M. Shane
The global explosion of online activity is steadily transforming the relationship between government and the public. The first wave of change, "e-government," enlisted the Internet to improve management and the delivery of services. More recently, "e-democracy" has aimed to enhance democracy itself using digital information and communication technology. One notable example of e-democratic practice is the government-sponsored (or government-authorized) online forum for public input on policymaking. This book investigates these "online consultations" and their effect on democratic practice in the United States and Europe, examining the potential of Internet-enabled policy forums to enrich democratic citizenship. The book first situates the online consultation phenomenon in a conceptual framework that takes into account the contemporary media environment and the flow of political communication; then offers a multifaceted look at the experience of online consultation participants in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France; and finally explores the legal architecture of U.S. and E. U. online consultation. As the contributors make clear, online consultations are not simply dialogues between citizens and government but constitute networked communications involving citizens, government, technicians, civil society organizations, and the media. The topics examined are especially relevant today, in light of the Obama administration's innovations in online citizen involvement.
Index Terms
- Connecting Democracy: Online Consultation and the Flow of Political Communication
Recommendations
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Reviews
Brad D. Reid
The editors define "online consultations" as "Internet-based discussion forums that represent ... government-endorsed solicitations of public input with regard to policy-making," a method that has existed for sometime. This book is a collection of the work of 19 researchers and comes from the International Working Group on Online Consultation and Public Policy Making; it's truly international and collaborative. The authors are clearly aware of the political roadblocks to meaningful public participation in policy-making. Political scientists, information technology (IT) professionals, and communication experts will find it a thought-provoking read. The volume is more than a collection of conference papers, as the comprehensive index indicates. There is considerable discussion of topics such as the Freedom of Information Act, communication rights, democracy, e-participation, the Internet, knowledge, legal issues, neighborhood information systems, new media, politics, technology, and Web 2.0. In contrast, there is less discussion of privacy, protest movements, and persuasion. The chief emphasis is on increasing citizen participation in governmental rule-making and insuring that government takes citizen input seriously. The book is divided into three major parts: "Online Consultation and the Flow of Political Communication," "What Online Consultations Mean to Their Participants," and "The Legal Architecture of Online Consultation." Consequently, this book is more than just an aspirational wish list. It really gets into the nuts and bolts of issues such as policymaker accountability, the current relatively small number of input participants, and the current unequal access to digital resources. A discussion of participatory environments in Europe and the US is quite useful. Significant issues surround online participation, such as the identity (name) of a citizen-participant and the inequalities of political power. These topics and many others are realistically discussed. There is much food for thought here, requiring additional study. No special technical expertise or background study is required to delve into this presentation, which provides a pathway to the future of participatory democracy and deserves serious attention. Online Computing Reviews Service
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