CFP Online political participation & its critics

 

*International symposium of the DEL/CERTOP/CNRS research network*

 

*"Online political participation and its critics" *

 

*Paris, 19-20**June 2013***

 

*Call for papers available on the DEL website: 

**http://www.certop.fr/DEL/spip.php?article2573*

 

Since its inception in June 2002, at CERTOP/CNRS, under the scientific 

responsibility of Gerard Loiseau, the "Electronic Democracy" network 

(DEL*)* has been dedicatedto enhancing research in the field of 

relationships between democratic processes and digital technologies. 

In 2012, with its 150 members in more than twenty countries, DEL has 

contributed to the creation of a place forinterdisciplinary 

discussions through the organization of regular meetings and seminars. 

In addition to the individual publications of its members, the network 

has enhanced scientific cooperation among them and has beenable to 

establish solid partnerships. DEL now wishes to contribute more 

directly to the scientific production by organizing, ten years after 

its creation, an international symposium. This meeting is aiming at 

producing several publications that will allow both to summarize the 

mass of research conducted so far in the field of "electronic 

democracy", and to tackle new scientific issues.

 

Therefore, the aim of the conference "A critical approach to online 

political participation" is to confront the scientific work, from 

various fields, devoted to the transformations of contemporary 

political regimes possibly induced by the increasing integration of 

digital technologies, especially Internet, in the various fields of 

social life. Oscillating between a techno-centric enthusiasm and 

skeptical social constructivism, the first analysis of the Internet's 

ability to revitalize the functioning of representative government 

through citizen appropriation has quickly given way to more 

substantive questions. Under what conditions are citizens able to 

capture digital networks in order to inform themselves, to express 

preferences or political demands, to challenge institutionalized 

powers or to constitute new forms of social mobilizations?

 

Beyond such a teleological perspective, the increased opportunities 

for information and expression generated by the development of social 

networks that can disturb traditional representations and 

institutional practices questions the boundaries of politics and the 

role of technology in their ability to increase their degree of 

elasticity.

Specifically, this conference aims to explore the digital practices of 

political participation by questioning both its empirical 

manifestations, and the consistency of the concepts previously used to 

qualify those practices.

 

The conference will be held in Paris, for two days:

?The first day (June 19, 2013) will be based on the presentation and 

discussion of _young researchers_' papers, both in French or English, 

coming from answers to the *call for papers available on the DEL 

website: **http://www.certop.fr/DEL/spip.php?article2573*

 

This first day is organized around three thematic sessions:

 

1. Theoretical and ideological debates on online political participation;

 

2. The new formats of political talk and new spaces of politicization;

 

3. New actors and reconfigurations of political power.

 

For each session, four papers will be presented and discussed by a 

dedicated critical reader, followed by a discussion with the public.

 

 

?In addition to the general assembly of the DEL network to be held in 

the morning, the second day (June 20, 2013) will be devoted to two panels:

 

- The first roundtable will invite French and International key 

researchers in the field to debate around the following question: /Can 

we analyze online political participation with the traditional 

concepts used in social sciences?/

 

- The second panel will invite politicians and practitioners to react 

to the following question: /is digital politics "politics as usual", 

or has is changed your way of doing politics?/

 

*Scientific responsibles*

 

G?rard Loiseau (loiseau@univ-tlse2.fr)

 

St?phanie Wojcik (stephanie.wojcik@u-pec.fr)

 

*Scientific committee*

 

Eva Anduiza (Universitat Aut?noma de Barcelona, Spain); Nick Anstead 

(London School of Economics, UK); Fr?d?rick Bastien (Universit? de 

Montr?al, Canada); Gersende Blanchard (Universit? Lille 3, France) ; 

Robert Boure (Universit? Toulouse 3, France) ; Dominique Cardon 

(Orange Labs, France) ; Stephen Coleman (Leeds University, UK); Carlos 

Cunha (Lisbon University Institute, Portugal); Patrice Flichy 

(Universit? Paris Est Marne-la-Vall?e, France); Eric George 

(Universit? d'Ottawa, Canada); Rachel Gibson (Manchester University, 

UK); Todd Graham (University of Groningen, The Netherlands); Fabien 

Granjon (Universit? Paris 8, France); Dimitris Gouscos (University of 

Athens, Greece); Fabienne Greffet (Universit? de Lorraine, France); 

Josiane Jou?t (Universit? Paris 2, France); Rabia Karakaya Polat (Isik 

University, Turkey); Norbert Kersting (Muenster University, Germany); 

Rapha?l Kies (Universit? du Luxembourg); Robert Krimmer (OSCE, 

Poland); G?rard Loiseau (Certop/CNRS, France); Laurence Monnoyer-Smith 

(Universit? de Technologie de Compi?gne, France); Karen 

Mossberger(University of Illinois at Chicago, USA); Zizi Papacharissi 

(University of Illinois at Chicago, USA); Serge Proulx (Universit? du 

Qu?bec ? Montr?al, Canada) ; Jarmo Rinne (University of Helsinki, 

Finland); Cristian Vaccari(Universit? di Bologna, Italy); Thierry 

Vedel (CEVIPOF, France); Yanina Welp (University of Zurich, 

Switzerland); St?phanie Wojcik (Universit? Paris Est Cr?teil, France); 

Han Woo Park (YeungNam University, South Korea), Scott Wright 

(Leicester University, UK).

 

*Organization*

 

Romain Badouard (Universite de Technologie de Compiaegne); Simon Gadras 

(Universite de Lorraine); Fabienne Greffet (Universite de Lorraine); 

Ewa Krzatala-Jaworska (Universite Paris 1); Geerard Loiseau//// 

(Certop/CNRS); Clement Mabi (Universite de Technologie de Compiegne); 

Laurence Monnoyer-Smith (Universite de Technologie de Compiegne); 

Clemence Pene (Universite Paris 8); Anaes Theviot (Sciences Po 

Bordeaux); Stephanie Wojcik (Universite Paris Est Cr?teil).

 

*In parternship with:

*

 

• CERTOP/CNRS
• CEDITEC, Universit? Paris Est Cr?teil
• COSTECH, Universit? de Technologie de Compi?gne
• Groupement d'int?r?t scientifique sur la participation du public aux processus d?cisionnels et la d?mocratie participative(GIS D?mocratie et participation)
• International Political Science Association (IPSA) - Research Committee 10 "Electronic Democracy"
• European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) - Standing Group on Internet & Politics