Ecitizens and representation: beyond the bleeding obvious

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E-citizens and representation beyond the
bleeding obvious

• Wainer Lusoli (University of Chester)

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The background

• Gordon and Myspace, "the biggest youth club in
  the country"
• David and linking Simon de Montforts Parliament
  with the Myspace generation
• Procedure Committee report (following a string of
  reports on Parliaments and ICT)
• Power Inquiry report (following a string of
  report on citizen engagement, and ICTs)

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10 Downing Street e-petitions

• Launched November 2006
• Generated considerable media attention and debate
• A success
• 7,447 live petitions on the system
• 4,368,523 signatures
• 3,164,017 signers

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The state of research - 1

• Lack of academic theorisation on virtual
  representation
• e-democracy discourses say very little about
  central features of democratic processes such as
  transparency, responsiveness, and accountability
  (Tuzzi, Padovani, Nesti, 2007)

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The state of research - 2

• Lack of interest for intermediaries
• MPs blogs (Francoli Ward, 2007)
• House bloggers (increasing number)
• Online journalism, especially BBC, but not only
• Hansard Society (a number of projects)
• MySociety (a number of projects)
• YouScotland BeboScotland
• ITC (a number of projects)

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The state of research - 3

• Not enough is known about the people
• Existing research is fragmented
• It tells us little about the affordances of the
  technology
• It tells us little about what the public (?)
  dont know the want
• Overall, it does not get at the (theoretical)
  core of the question

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Some food for thought

• What online interactions do citizens want with
  institutions and representative bodies?
• Are there any underlying dimensions to these
  activities?
• What are the socio-demographic, technical and
  political drivers for these demands?
• What are the challenges, opportunities of ICTs?

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Q1 What do citizens want?

• Most citizens welcome digital innovation in the
  field of democratic representation
• Parliament ranks higher than government on many
  interactions
• No, thank you very much.

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Q2 Any patterns?

• People actively differentiate and accord
  preference to activities that are qualitatively
  different
• Three dimensions
• direct participation vs. mediated
  representation
• Input vs. output
• Deep debate vs. quick information
• There is little difference between mediators

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Q3 Who want what?

• People who are better off favour mediated
  representation and input.
• More schooling inclination for mediated
  representation, input and information.
• People on broadband mediated representation,
  input and information. Heavy users toward input
• Political activists more inclined toward mediated
  representation.
• Females more inclined towards debate and direct
  representation.
• People up to 35 YO more keen on direct
  representation, and on input.
• Non users direct representation.

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Conclusions

• Self-representation vs. self-organisation via
  digital means
• Political logics vs. technological logics
• Mediators, processes, and initiative
• The fringe

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Where next?

• Need to theorise
• Look at mediators
• Look as citizens