Digital Democracy

Digital Democracy offers in-depth explanation of what issues of theory and application are important to the emergence and development of computer-mediated communication systems for political purposes. It addresses how the Internet and computer-mediated political communication are affecting democracy and focuses on the theoretical and practical issues involved in digital democracy.

Increasing attention is being paid to the political uses of the new communication technologies.Digital Democracy offers an invaluable in-depth explanation of what issues of theory and application are most important to the emergence and development of computer-mediated communication systems for political purposes.

The book provides a wide-ranging critical examination of the concept of virtual democracy as discussed in theory and as implemented in practice and policy that has been hitherto unavailable. It addresses how the Internet, World Wide Web and computer-mediated political communication are affecting democracy and focuses on the various theoretical and practical issues involved in digital democracy. Using international examples Digital Democracy attempts to connect theoretical analysis to considerations of practice and policy.

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY
What Is Digital Democracy? - Kenneth L Hacker and Jan van Dijk
Computers as Communication - Everett M Rogers and Sheena Malhotra
The Rise of Digital Democracy
PART TWO: THEORY
Models of Democracy and Concepts of Communication - Jan van Dijk
Digital Democracy and Political Systems - Martin Hagan
Structural Transformations of the Public Sphere - John Keane
The Controversies of the Internet and the Revitalization of Local Political Life - Sinikka Sassi
PART THREE: PRACTICE
White House Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and Political Interactivity - Kenneth L Hacker
Guiding Voters through the Net - Anita Elberse, Matthew Hale and William Dutton
The Democracy Network in a California Primary
The Promise and Practice of Public Debate in Cyberspace - Nicholas Jankowski and Martine van Selm
The Widening Information Gap and Policies of Prevention - Jan van Dijk
Public Policies for Digital Democracy - Michel Catinat and Thierry Vedel
PART FOUR: SUMMARY
Summary - Jan van Dijk and Kenneth L Hacker