[liberationtech] Can Technology Support Democracy?

Mon May 4 20:47:52 CEST 2020

Thanks Raymond for the feedback on my article. I need to check out your
papers but I agree that citizen engagement is key to the success of
democracy — and to the SDG work. One of the big problems I feel is building
and maintaining the networks that are working towards these goals. One of
the important aspects of monitoring I suspect is having the visibility. We
see that to some degree with the flattening of the curve idea but in spite
of all the all the data scientists in the world I'm still not seeing useful
curves being generated daily that represent smaller locations. I live in
King County, Washington (where Seattle) is and I don't see the daily curve
for the county or city. We can't see the progress. Maybe like a baseball
team that didn't know its standing in the league.

I looked at some of the issues with my article in City Atlas. I focused on
patterns and pattern languages to help coordinate people's actions in
relation to the Green New Deal.
http://newyork.thecityatlas.org/lifestyle/the-green-new-deal-is-the-real-deal/

I'm currently working with some colleagues on a paper that focuses on
patterns and pattern languages to address wicked problems. It also would
depend on tech support.

Interested in what others on the list have to say but I do hope that we can
keep talking about this. I'm working with several individuals and groups
who are trying to go to the next level — and part of that is thinking about
what the heck that might mean.

Thanks Raymond!

— Doug

On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 10:30 AM Raymond Saner <saner at diplomacydialogue.org>
wrote:

> Dear Doug,
>
>
>
> thanks for drawing our attention to your article “Can Technology support
> Democracy”, a very timely article, well arguments and well sourced.
>
>
>
> we are involved in the SDG implementation (
> http://www.csend.org/publications/agenda-2030) and technology plays a
> very important part in the implementation process or better stated- could
> play an important part if designed well.
>
>
>
> for instance, the monitoring process could be much more developed. The
> SDGs have a 4 year cycle of reviews but the ongoing monitoring often is
> either “forgotten” or turned into a mini-evaluation with heavy use of IT
> data, data experts and complex data analytics which are not easily
> understood by the citizens.
>
>
>
> our article describes some of the difficulties of citizen based monitoring
> of the SDGs:
> http://www.csend.org/publications/agenda-2030/497-monitoring-the-sdgs-digital-and-social-technologies-to-ensure-citizen-participation-inclusiveness-and-transparency
>
>
>
> how could the SDG monitoring process be based on the SDG principles of
> inclusiveness, participation and transparency?
>
>
>
> looking forward to your thoughts
>
> best regards
>
> Raymond
>
>
>
> *From:* LT [mailto:lt-bounces at lists.liberationtech.org] *On Behalf Of *Doug
> Schuler
> *Sent:* 02 May 2020 19:33
> *To:* LT <lt at lists.liberationtech.org>
> *Subject:* [liberationtech] Can Technology Support Democracy?
>
>
>
> Just found this in my drafts folder... Maybe I sent this out earlier and
> maybe it's less relevant given the pandemic but here it is ... Thanks!
>
>
>
> ------
>
>
>
> I thought I'd share my new article. It came out yesterday in Volume 1,
> issue 1 of the journal
> Digital Government: Research and Practice (DGOV).  Just so you could get
> the gist I included the abstract below. Here's the url* just in case*...
> https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3352462
>
>
>
> Thanks!!!
>
>
>
>
>
> Can Technology Support Democracy?
>
>
>
> The utopian optimism about democracy and the internet has given way to
> disillusionment. At the same time, given the complexity of today's wicked
> problems, the need for democracy is critical. Unfortunately democracy is
> under attack around the world, and there are ominous signs of its retreat.
> How does democracy fare when digital technology is added to the picture?
> Weaving technology and democracy together is risky, and technologists who
> begin any digital project with the conviction that technology can and will
> solve “problems” of democracy are likely to be disappointed. Technology can
> be a boon to democracy if it is informed technology. The goal in writing
> this essay was to encourage people to help develop and cultivate a rich
> democratic sphere. Democracy has great potential that it rarely achieves.
> It is radical, critical, complex, and fragile. It takes different forms in
> different contexts. These forms are complex and the solutionism promoted by
> the computer industry and others is not appropriate in the case of
> democracies. The primary aim of technology in the service of democracy is
> not merely to make it easier or more convenient but to improve society's
> civic intelligence, its ability to address the problems it faces
> effectively and equitably.
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Douglas Schuler
>
> douglas at publicsphereproject.org
>
> Twitter: @doug_schuler
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Public Sphere Project
>
>      http://www.publicsphereproject.org/
>
>
>
> Mailing list ~ Collective Intelligence for the Common Good
>
>      * http://lists.scn.org/mailman/listinfo/ci
> <http://lists.scn.org/mailman/listinfo/ci>4cg-announce*
>
>
>
> Creating the World Citizen Parliament
>
>
> http://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/may-june-2013/creating-the-world-citizen-parliament
>
>
>
> Liberating Voices!  A Pattern Language for Communication Revolution
> (project)
>
>      http://www.publicsphereproject.org/patterns/lv
> <http://www.publicsphereproject.org/patterns/>
>
>
>
> Liberating Voices!  A Pattern Language for Communication Revolution
> (book)
>
>  http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11601
>

-- 
Douglas Schuler
douglas at publicsphereproject.org
Twitter: @doug_schuler

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Public Sphere Project
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Mailing list ~ Collective Intelligence for the Common Good
     * http://lists.scn.org/mailman/listinfo/ci
<http://lists.scn.org/mailman/listinfo/ci>4cg-announce*

Creating the World Citizen Parliament

http://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/may-june-2013/creating-the-world-citizen-parliament

Liberating Voices!  A Pattern Language for Communication Revolution
(project)
     http://www.publicsphereproject.org/patterns/lv
<http://www.publicsphereproject.org/patterns/>

Liberating Voices!  A Pattern Language for Communication Revolution (book)

 http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11601
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