Title: A study of e-participation projects in third-wave democracies

Authors: Stephen Coleman, Ildiko Kaposi

Addresses: Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds, UK. ' Division of Humanities and Art, American University of Kuwait, Kuwait

Abstract: The most useful questions to ask about the relationship between new media and new democracies are empirical and contextual: can the internet, in specific places and instances, facilitate forms of participation that strengthen citizens| capacity for collective action and political influence? To answer this question, we compiled an inventory of 79 e-democracy projects initiated within |third-wave| democracies. From these, six were selected as subjects for descriptive case studies. The projects examined had a range of objectives, but all had in common the aim of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to mediate between established governmental power and the public.

Keywords: e-democracy; new democracies; e-participation case studies; electronic democracy; electronic participation; collective action; political influence; ICT; online participation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2009.030524

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2009 Vol.2 No.4, pp.302 - 327

Published online: 20 Dec 2009 *

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