Politics and Democracy Internet and Society 2008

Outline Smart mobs, Organisation through ICTs Popular revolution, emergent behaviour People power and TXT revolutions Social Movements Problem of democracy “ E-democracy” Internet and democracy Social capital, embeddedness and public sphere Blogging Bottom up participation - empowered citizen?

Smart mobs,

Organisation through ICTs

Popular revolution, emergent behaviour

People power and TXT revolutions

Social Movements

Problem of democracy

“ E-democracy”

Internet and democracy

Social capital, embeddedness and public sphere

Blogging

Bottom up participation - empowered citizen?

Common ideas Appropriation and social shaping of technology Importance of existing context and identity Unanticipated consequences Technology amplifies actions and social tensions in and between institutions Technology appropriated by/and amplifying existing changes and trends Many2many communication Network society: active wired Emergent social organisation from ubiquitous use Social networks, social capital, weak ties, communities of internet and personalised community..

Appropriation and social shaping of technology

Importance of existing context and identity

Unanticipated consequences

Technology amplifies actions and social tensions in and between institutions

Technology appropriated by/and amplifying existing changes and trends

Many2many communication

Network society: active wired

Emergent social organisation from ubiquitous use

Social networks, social capital, weak ties, communities of internet and personalised community..

Power and Justice Citizens control of power of entrenched political institutions How will the internet be appropriated in/by political processes? Can the Internet and ICTs provide a platform for holding to account, and provide alternatives to established political order? Empower individual citizens Provide information transparency Set alternative agendas Coalesce and mobilise mass into political activity Open up new forms of Governance Pluralism In an age of managerial government, a few mainstream ideologies How will end-to-end, mass access, many-to many, 2 way communications make a difference?

Citizens control of power of entrenched political institutions

How will the internet be appropriated in/by political processes?

Can the Internet and ICTs provide a platform for holding to account, and provide alternatives to established political order?

Empower individual citizens

Provide information transparency

Set alternative agendas

Coalesce and mobilise mass into political activity

Open up new forms of Governance

Pluralism

In an age of managerial government, a few mainstream ideologies

How will end-to-end, mass access, many-to many, 2 way communications make a difference?

Smart Mobs Many to many technologies and power to the people Networks, word of mouth and collective action Netwar Philippines, Indonesia revolutions Petrol strike, WTO Terrorists, Criminals, Activists. Smart Crowds Reclaiming public spaces by collective action Mobile Adhoc networking experiments Swarming, emergence, social coordination Threshold levels for cooperation Coordination problem Coordination knowledge - examples in Internet Autonomous agents closely connected can produce collective action - this action is not controlled or design - it emerges

Many to many technologies and power to the people

Networks, word of mouth and collective action

Netwar

Philippines, Indonesia revolutions

Petrol strike, WTO

Terrorists, Criminals, Activists.

Smart Crowds

Reclaiming public spaces by collective action

Mobile Adhoc networking experiments

Swarming, emergence, social coordination

Threshold levels for cooperation

Coordination problem

Coordination knowledge - examples in Internet

Autonomous agents closely connected can produce collective action - this action is not controlled or design - it emerges

Popular revolutions Challenge totalitarianism or major failure of government and democracy institutions/mechanisms. Technology in hands of masses Many to many one-to-one and 6 degree effect Failure of democracy Zapatistas - external influence Philippines - Church and TXT (more recently “hello Garci”) Indonesia Spain Korea Ukraine etc etc

Challenge totalitarianism or major failure of government and democracy institutions/mechanisms.

Technology in hands of masses

Many to many

one-to-one and 6 degree effect

Failure of democracy

Zapatistas - external influence

Philippines - Church and TXT

(more recently “hello Garci”)

Indonesia

Spain

Korea

Ukraine etc etc

Challenge to Nation-State Power - violence reserved for the state Nation state fosters/protects economic activity Traditional realist accounts : nation-states acting as independent agents New cross-boundary challenges Economic activity increasingly international - ignores borders - challenges state’s existence Environment, culture, technology Idealist accounts: nation-state undermined Weakened from above - has to bend to international institutions (commercial and governmental) New international institutions un-democratic Undermines national welfare state

Power - violence reserved for the state

Nation state fosters/protects economic activity

Traditional realist accounts : nation-states acting as independent agents

New cross-boundary challenges

Economic activity increasingly international - ignores borders - challenges state’s existence

Environment, culture, technology

Idealist accounts: nation-state undermined

Weakened from above - has to bend to international institutions (commercial and governmental)

New international institutions un-democratic

Undermines national welfare state

Internet in global social movements WTO - MAI Battle of Seattle Environmentalism Coordination mechanisms in planning, and action Reinforce the very problem they challenge. Extra-state people power - just as unaccountable

WTO - MAI Battle of Seattle

Environmentalism

Coordination mechanisms in planning, and action

Reinforce the very problem they challenge.

Extra-state people power - just as unaccountable

Internet and Social Movements Outside established political mechanism (v. interest groups) Politics by unconventional means Heterogenous Loosely structured, fluid New movements (environment,justice, women) not firmly fixed in social milieux Diversity, grassroots, decentralisation, informality Internet would appear to be just the thing!

Outside established political mechanism (v. interest groups)

Politics by unconventional means

Heterogenous

Loosely structured, fluid

New movements (environment,justice, women) not firmly fixed in social milieux

Diversity, grassroots, decentralisation, informality

Internet would appear to be just the thing!

Social Movements 1 Coordination of resources E.g. Time, money, Managerial interpretation 2 Connection to political system 3 Ideology and beliefs How one should act Framing ideas and debates v.established media. Many different response to Internet and ICTs Big, established orgs. V. global informal networks. Marketing, professionalisation Return to grassroots Media campaigns Global coordination Inter-group coordination Increased fragmentation

1 Coordination of resources

E.g. Time, money, Managerial interpretation

2 Connection to political system

3 Ideology and beliefs

How one should act

Framing ideas and debates v.established media.

Many different response to Internet and ICTs

Big, established orgs. V. global informal networks.

Marketing, professionalisation

Return to grassroots

Media campaigns

Global coordination

Inter-group coordination

Increased fragmentation

Democracy Failure of western democracy? Low turnout Low party membership (&trade unions etc) Support of single interest groups End of mainstream ideological parties Mass marketing and mangerialism in politics Disconnection with voters/politicians =low participation Retreat to the domestic/private - reduction in social capital(Putnam) Privatised social networks (Wellman, Castells etc)

Failure of western democracy?

Low turnout

Low party membership (&trade unions etc)

Support of single interest groups

End of mainstream ideological parties

Mass marketing and mangerialism in politics

Disconnection with voters/politicians

=low participation

Retreat to the domestic/private - reduction in social capital(Putnam)

Privatised social networks (Wellman, Castells etc)

Internet/IT fix Athenean model Habermas - Public Sphere Historical analysis Rational discourse Internet: create new ‘public spheres’ E-democracy experiments Tools for rational deliberation Desire to increase participation Networks, place-centred experiments Unconvincing except in a few cases. E-government: Consultation Managerialism (efficiency, service delivery)

Athenean model

Habermas - Public Sphere

Historical analysis

Rational discourse

Internet: create new ‘public spheres’

E-democracy experiments

Tools for rational deliberation

Desire to increase participation

Networks, place-centred experiments

Unconvincing except in a few cases.

E-government:

Consultation

Managerialism (efficiency, service delivery)

Agre: Internet and the Political Process Appropriation perspective Amplification model Institutional and social network approaches Approaches to Internet and Democracy Online discussion fora Unmediated political community Intermediaries redundant/changed Information use of Internet Voting Process Decentralised power Global market decentralisation Centralisation Social equality via anonymity Open/transparent information

Appropriation perspective

Amplification model

Institutional and social network approaches

Approaches to Internet and Democracy

Online discussion fora

Unmediated political community

Intermediaries redundant/changed

Information use of Internet

Voting Process

Decentralised power

Global market decentralisation

Centralisation

Social equality via anonymity

Open/transparent information

Institutions of politics (Agre) Rules, identities, roles, strategies Legislators Laws and Legal system Parties Forms of Debate News Management (Spin) Organisation of interest groups Internet/Technology amplifies existing forces, institutions in short -medium term. Intensify conflict

Rules, identities, roles, strategies

Legislators

Laws and Legal system

Parties

Forms of Debate

News Management (Spin)

Organisation of interest groups

Internet/Technology amplifies existing forces, institutions in short -medium term.

Intensify conflict

Agre 3 Reinforcement model - failure to produce change, just reinforcement of existing institutions - therefore conservative Amplification model: Internet appropriated by many change elements. Amplification effects not only conservative. Amplification of trends and emerging insitutions Stand alone projects not the way , need to understand ‘Digital Embedding’

Reinforcement model - failure to produce change, just reinforcement of existing institutions - therefore conservative

Amplification model: Internet appropriated by many change elements. Amplification effects not only conservative.

Amplification of trends and emerging insitutions

Stand alone projects not the way , need to understand ‘Digital Embedding’

Agre 4 Need to reconceptualise the category of person by political and other institutions of society. Internet mediated communities of interest anchored in institutional structures. Reduced costs allow emergence of collective cognition. No line between political and non-political communication. But problem of being too connected - bad ideas can diffuse as quickly as good ones.

Need to reconceptualise the category of person by political and other institutions of society.

Internet mediated communities of interest anchored in institutional structures.

Reduced costs allow emergence of collective cognition.

No line between political and non-political communication.

But problem of being too connected - bad ideas can diffuse as quickly as good ones.

Agre 5 Effect of ‘Spacing’ : we are in institutional networks as well as individual ones ICTs map and amplify those institutional spaces, make them clearer. Political process based around individual voter - can be targeted though datamining Everyone separated into individual human-data political subject by political intermediaries -> Political surveillance Increasing number of intermediaries linked to individuals: private media and political spheres

Effect of ‘Spacing’ : we are in institutional networks as well as individual ones

ICTs map and amplify those institutional spaces, make them clearer.

Political process based around individual voter - can be targeted though datamining

Everyone separated into individual human-data political subject by political intermediaries -> Political surveillance

Increasing number of intermediaries linked to individuals: private media and political spheres

Agre 6 Internet allows strengthening of established and new institutions and organisations But strengthens “steady background hum of information sharing within communities of practice” Not a straightforward relationship. The stresses and tensions lead to social change.

Internet allows strengthening of established and new institutions and organisations

But strengthens “steady background hum of information sharing within communities of practice”

Not a straightforward relationship.

The stresses and tensions lead to social change.

Political Parties How do they use the Internet?

How do they use the Internet?

Old and New Media: Political Blog Media: set agendas, filter news. Why Blogs have such high impact? Very few popular political blogs Low readership Log distribution of links to blogs A Few blogs concentrate, filter information from blogsphere These blogs have credibility with established media Polarised Information outside mainstream Reading a political act by politically engaged Platform for political mobilisation

Media: set agendas, filter news.

Why Blogs have such high impact?

Very few popular political blogs

Low readership

Log distribution of links to blogs

A Few blogs concentrate, filter information from blogsphere

These blogs have credibility with established media

Polarised

Information outside mainstream

Reading a political act by politically engaged

Platform for political mobilisation

Bottom up participation Social capital and social network approach Recreate public spheres Problem or benefit of anonymity What do people do in/with civic networks? Existing political institutions don’t connect well with civic networking Move to co-governance or network governance Mob rule or better democracy?

Social capital and social network approach

Recreate public spheres

Problem or benefit of anonymity

What do people do in/with civic networks?

Existing political institutions don’t connect well with civic networking

Move to co-governance or network governance

Mob rule or better democracy?

Conclusions Few people politically active Tools for engaging mass participation Tools for coordinating distant like-minded people Unforeseen emergent behaviour - faster than without technology due to network effect and ubiquitous use Emerge from everyday civic engagement and communities of internet, facilitated by Internet use. Existing governance structures not attuned to new ways of political communication and action. Can the internet reinvigorate democracy or is it just reinforcement? Change depends particular a society’s and culture’s ability to cope and adapt. Internet too new - all to happen .

Few people politically active

Tools for engaging mass participation

Tools for coordinating distant like-minded people

Unforeseen emergent behaviour - faster than without technology due to network effect and ubiquitous use

Emerge from everyday civic engagement and communities of internet, facilitated by Internet use.

Existing governance structures not attuned to new ways of political communication and action.

Can the internet reinvigorate democracy or is it just reinforcement?

Change depends particular a society’s and culture’s ability to cope and adapt.

Internet too new - all to happen .

Next Week Surveillance and Privacy Read recommended papers Assignments Read news reports on Info Commissioners report Think about Surveillance - what sorts are there Your own personal data: what is personal data? Privacy and consent to use: what do you accept? How you might be classified?

Surveillance and Privacy

Read recommended papers

Assignments

Read news reports on Info Commissioners report

Think about Surveillance - what sorts are there

Your own personal data: what is personal data?

Privacy and consent to use: what do you accept?

How you might be classified?