Reading - Triggering Civic Participation at the Urban Level

Synopsis

ChapterVIII: Moments and Modes for triggering Civic Participation at the Urban Level by Fiorella De Cindio, lnes Di Loreto, Cristian Peraboni

The article tries to explore, with the use case studies; the way that web based participation is able to perpetuate continuing real world change rather that the somewhat sporadic nature of the bulk of web based activism. In relation to marshalling continuing commitment online, they mark the importance of “civic intelligence”(Schuler, 2001 as cited in Cindio, Loreto & Peraboni), a hub of knowledge formulating the basis for discussion and engagement.

Through their first case study, ComunaliMilano 2006 (a website established in the lead up to the city elections), a couple of points became important to its success. Firstly, is an easily understood user interface – in this case, a public discussion space surrounded by personalised online space. Secondly, the content needs to be continually evolving with which ever topic it wishes to engage with. And thirdly and perhaps most importantly, web activism or “e-participation” (Cindio, Loreto & Peraboni) needs to fulfil a need. In this case, the website facilitated the need for there to be an continuing information exchange between candidates and their voters over a number of different issues which would fluctuate in importance.

The information the authors are careful to mention is that although the cases they have chosen have been successful, there still remains a lot unknown about the what makes an online campaign succeed. There is not one formula which can ensure the triumph of web-based activism.