This document analyzes threats to e-democracy practices in Botkyrka, a multi-cultural municipality in Sweden. Four main threats are identified: 1) The limits of technology, such as divided internet access and language barriers on websites. 2) The lack of issues for online discussion that relate to everyday politics or residents' visions. 3) The lack of real influence, as online participation was only seen as consultation rather than influencing decisions. 4) A weak sense of community both online and locally weakened implementation of the online dialogue tool. The conclusion calls for further research to confirm or falsify these threats, and for practices to overcome the barriers to successful e-democracy.

1. Threats towards local e-DemocracyA Conceptual analysis of a bottom-up Study of e-Democracy practices in a multi-cultural Swedish Municipality Rickard Mikaelsson, PhD Elin Wihlborg, PhD, Ass prof, (Docent) Unit of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linkoping University, Sweden.

2. Democracy Common ethos Participation and inclusion = forming demos Elections Legitimate authorities Setting the agenda = “cratia” Politics as actions of/forming power 2011-05-06

3. Democracy Stretching the idea of ”e-” The social phenomena called democracy has changed (Castells 1998:15) Stretching Activities and Organisation of: Demos Cratia 2011-05-06 e- Politics and politics

4. e-participation, e-dialogue, e-inclusion, e-government, e-democracy… Ideas of empowerment… Empowerment among ”people” Formal Political Structures and ”elites” inviting people 2011-05-06

5. Case study Bokyrka Southern parts of the Stockholm region 80 000 inhabitants Multi-cultural (over 100 nationalities, 51% immigrants) ”Transit area” Innovative municipality recognized as a forerunner Established one-stop shop government (IRL & on-line) 2011-05-06

6. 2011-05-06 Föreläsning 1: Affärssystem för företag

7. The aim of this paper The aim of this paper is to discuss the threats that made e-democracy fail in Botkyrka municipality, general implications from this case and potentials to overcome such threats. Rather opportunities for e-participation, but local stakeholders themselves promote”e-democracy ” 2011-05-06

8. PostIT – Public Organisations in Sustainable Transition ”by” IT = Our research group Information system and public administration Public Health care administration Municipal services and administration E-services towards citizens in National authorities MLG structures of e-government Botkyrka has been a common case study 2011-05-06

9. 4 Threaths Identified inductive… The limits of technology The lack of issues The lack of real influence Weak sense of community 2011-05-06

10. The limits of technology Local government web-page Design of the system Divided access to Internet and the webpages Language as hurdle Swedish ”formality” 2011-05-06

11. The lack of issues Agenda setting Everyday politics versus visions of the ”good life” Local government competences Single/individual issues Multi-level governance 2011-05-06

12. The lack of real influence Influence Participation as consultation Decision making Formal policy makers made a distance when considering the e-dialog as out of everyday policy making Take up as ... Response to comments Debates Results Out-comes (as a skate board park…) 2011-05-06

13. Weak sense of community ”no” on-line common community Weak local IRL Community parts and groups act as strong communities No ”setting” to implement the tool into 2011-05-06

14. Conclusions Not one single reason for the failure of the e-dialogue in Botkyrka. The limits of technology The lack of issues The lack of real influence Weak sense of community Problem of e- or democracy? 2011-05-06

15. Implications For research colleagues Please falsify or confirm the inductive identified proposals For practices Please over-come the threats 2011-05-06

16. Thanks! elin.wihlborg@liu.se Q?