Digital Participatory Democracy in Brazil: Projects and Reality

Soares de Freitas, Christiana

Abstract:

Digital participatory democracy has been significantly stimulated in Brazil for the last decade and plays a key role in the outcomes of electronic government strategies. Created in 2009, the initiative called e-Democracy was developed by the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress of Brazil. E-Democracy's proposal is to encourage the participation of society in the discussion of various topics related to current public policy and could turn that participation into collaboration in developing new law bills. This coproduction – based on the direct involvement of citizens in the discussion and formulation of new law proposals – can potentially contribute to the formulation of more realistic and feasible public policies. The main goal of this article is to present the results of a research regarding a specific virtual legislative community of e-Democracy developed to discuss topics to be included in the Brazilian Proposition on Civil Rights Framework for Internet in Brazil. Quantitative methods were applied and a questionnaire was send to all citizens who joined the community and made a significant contribution. Based on the analysis of the political and sociotechnical mechanisms that shape the tool and its users´ practices and characteristics, the results discuss into what extent the Project is significantly fulfilling its purposes as a possible initiative to stimulate participatory democratic practices (Pateman, 1992

Área(s) temática(s):

• 2. Gobierno, Instituciones y Comportamiento Políticos

Año:

2014

Tipo de publicación:

Paper/Extenso Congresos GIGAPP

Número:

811

Serie:

V Congreso Internacional en Gobierno, Administración y Políticas Públicas

Dirección:

Sede INAP. Madrid, España

Organización:

GIGAPP- IUIOG

Mes:

29-Sept 01-Oct. 2014