Paderborn scientists lead interdisciplinary study
Democracies around the world are facing new challenges due to the increasing shift of political debate to the internet. New spaces for participation are emerging, but also new risks. In the INNOVADE ("INNOVAtive DEmocracy through digitalisation") project, eleven European partners are investigating how digital technologies can strengthen democratic processes. The latest result: an interdisciplinary study developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Christian Fuchs from the Media Systems and Media Organisation department at Paderborn University. The project partners "Beyond the Horizon", "Fundación Cibervoluntarios", "Hybrid Core" and the KU Leuven were involved.
Comprehensive guide for a democratic future in the digital age
The English-language study provides a comprehensive overview of how digital technologies influence democratic practices and covers various fields such as news and future (digital) models of democracy, the digital public sphere, online participation, digital activism, electronic elections, and open governance. The latter is a model of administration and decision-making that emphasises transparency and citizen participation. It supports the open use of data, the involvement of the public in political processes and cooperation between authorities, civil society and business. The knowledge base also includes threats from disinformation and the manipulation of electoral processes. This combination of research and practical findings provides stakeholders with a valuable basis for making democracy resilient and inclusive. "If we want to adequately protect digital democracy, we need to know what we actually want to defend. We need to clarify: What is democracy – and what is digital democracy? Our report provides the important conceptual and analytical foundations for this," explains Prof Fuchs. Project coordinator Fatih Yilmaz from the Brussels-based strategy group "Beyond the Horizon" adds: "The knowledge base is a timely and necessary
contribution to the debate on digital democracy. As digitalisation reshapes the ways citizens engage with democratic processes, we must ensure that our institutions adapt without compromising democratic values." The researchers' findings will be instrumental in equipping policymakers and civil society with the analytical tools needed to build inclusive, transparent and resilient systems.
Concrete steps for a transparent and resilient democracy
The 300-page knowledge base concludes with ten recommendations that emphasise the need to make democracy more participatory on the one hand and deliberative, i.e. through informed public debate, on the other. It is essential that citizens are better involved in decision-making processes, while clear constitutional protection mechanisms must be guaranteed. There is also a need for open and transparent policies, combined with effective measures against external influence and disinformation, which could be spread by targeted false reports, for example. The clear layout with clear graphics, tables and a simple structure makes the study easy to understand, even for non-experts. It is aimed in particular at politicians, academics, citizens, and stakeholders in general who want to work towards improving democratic governance. The study is available free of charge here.
On Tuesday, 21 October, the study will be presented in a webinar, for which interested parties can register at the following link: https://innovade-democracy.eu/events/shielding-democracy
Further information on the "INNOVADE" project can be found on the project website.
Interested parties can also register for the newsletter.
This text was translated automatically.
