Democracy and the information society in Europe.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

European Commission. Forward Studies Unit.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy--European Union countries.

Democracy.

Information society--Political aspects.

European Union countries.

Political participation--European Union countries.

Political participation.

Information society--Political aspects--European Union countries.

Information society.

Physical Description:

xiv, 178 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : St. Martin's Press ; [Luxembourg] : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000.

Contents:

Part I Democracy in Transition

1. Cybernetics and politics: some reference points 15

1.1. The effects of the new media on politics and representative democracy 17

1.1.1. Politics and the media: an organic relationship 17

1.1.2. Democracy and representation 32

1.2. Emergence of new modes of collective debate 42

1.2.1. Extension of the political process to include civil society 43

1.2.2. Renewal of the exercise of power 49

1.3. Provisional conclusion 57

Part II The European Union and the Revival of Democracy

2. The contributions of political philosophy: two schools of thought 63

2.1. Towards a participatory democracy / Jean-Marc Ferry 63

2.2. Towards a new approach to Athenian democracy / Georges Contogeorgis 71

3. Actual experience, practical points of reference concerning changes in democracy and public services 89

3.1. E-citizens are not born, they are made / Leda Guidi 89

3.2. The network as an instrument of collective creativity / Michel Herve 94

3.2.1. A new structure of economic analysis and a new method of 'governance' 95

3.2.2. The 'digital town' scheme as part of an approach to local development 98

4. In the political arena 107

4.1. 'Get information, get together, get going' / Pierre Carbonnelle 107

4.2. Electoral processes: modernisation and democratisation should not be confused / Joni Lovenduski 112

5. Changing values within the framework of technological change 119

5.1. Direction and mediation in the public debate in Europe / Ignace Berten 119

5.2. New values are in! / Paul H Ray 123

5.3. African cyberspace: between illusion and miracle / Annie Cheneau-Loquay 130

5.3.1. Paradoxical modernisation that calls the State's role into question 131

5.3.2. Gaining access to cyberspace 134

5.3.3. Future prospects 138

Part III Political Sphere and Cyberspace

6. A project for the European Union 143

6.1. The information society and democracy 146

6.2. The role and interests of the European Union 147

6.3. A European public sphere 149

6.3.1. Rethinking the ways the media are regulated 150

6.3.2. Institutionalising strong political dialogue by creating autonomous public spheres and by democratising political practices and institutions 152

6.3.3. The new media and the European public sphere 157.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0312238495

OCLC:

44045701