30.09.2021
Abstract
How can digital citizen participatory practices aid the democratic process by including citizens?
In recent years, the political processes both within the European Union and outside of it have faced a crisis in trust of the process of democratic representation. An increasingly low level of trust in both political actors and legislative processes is being documented in advanced democracies. Simultaneously, as we progress into the digital age and increasingly live within the contexts of the digital environments, the development of digital technologies has provided a space for digital practices which allow citizens to take part in the governance process to some extent. This paper aims to explore how two digital participatory practices, ManaBalss from Latvia and Lisboa Participa (Lisbon participatory budget) from Portugal, facilitate democratic processes. It is asserted that digital participatory practices can to some extent aid the democratic process and thus their inclusion in the policy creation and decision-making process should be fostered.
#participatory #digital participatory practices #citizen inclusion #e-participation
Author
Iva Paska is a PhD sociologist and a lecturer at the University North in Croatia. She has worked and participated in NGO projects related to citizen engagement and public policy creation. She is interested in innovative digital practices. Her recent papers include Fast Choices and Emancipatory Spaces: Complex Reality of Online dating Apps; Digital Media Environments and Their Implications: Instagram; Bits and Pieces: Experiences of Social Reality in the Midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
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