INNOVADE: Paderborn University is part of a new Horizon Europe EU project on digital democracy
Research on digital democracy aims to provide valuable insights for improving citizen participation
The digital society is transforming democracy. Digital technologies and the internet are increasingly being used to support and improve democratic processes – this is known as digital democracy. It describes the potential of modern technologies for promoting democratic values and practices, as well as the use of digital media for political information and communication, political participation, elections, civil society engagement, activism and the promotion of political education. To drive positive change, eleven European partners have joined forces in the international and interdisciplinary EU research project INNOVADE (‘INNOVAtive Democracy through digitalisation’), including the University of Paderborn. Digital democracy aims to increase citizen participation in political processes, make political action more transparent, and simplify government and administrative processes. To this end, INNOVADE will develop, among other things, the ‘Digital Democracy App,’ which will help citizens engage with local government, share their ideas, and have a real impact on the decisions that affect their everyday lives.
The aim of the project is to better understand and promote digital democracy. A team from the Institute for Media Studies at the University of Paderborn plays an important role in INNOVADE: Prof. Dr. Christian Fuchs, head of the Media Systems and Media Organisation department, is responsible for basic social science research on digital democracy together with Dr. Banu Durdaǧ and research assistant Kevin Friesch. ‘INNOVADE analyses principles and opportunities for strengthening digital democracy, as well as obstacles and risks. This highly topical project addresses a central socio-political issue of our time,’ says Fuchs about the Horizon Europe project. The European Union has been funding INNOVADE since the beginning of January for a period of three years with around three million euros. Horizon Europe is currently the most important EU funding programme for research and innovation.
Digital Democracy app to be tested in two municipalities
INNOVADE is a combination of social and political research with technological development. Fuchs explains: ‘Basic social science research will develop principles and criteria for digital democracy, which will then be used as design principles for a digital democracy app developed in the project.’ The app will be tested in two municipalities – Geel in Belgium and San Martín de la Vega in Spain – and its local use will be scientifically analysed. As both municipalities are participating as project partners, the scientific findings of the project on digital democracy can be transferred to society. The pilot studies in the two municipalities, which are experimenting with digital democracy at the local level, will be evaluated from a social science perspective. The pilot sites will provide valuable insights into how digital democracy tools can improve citizen participation at the local level in the future.
‘INNOVADE enables a unique collaboration between research, technology and local government. Our goal is to improve digital democracy in Europe. Strengthening digital democracy is important today as a counterweight to fake news, echo chambers, authoritarianism and post-factual politics on the internet,’ says Fuchs.
The interdisciplinary project partners come from Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The research conducted by the team at the University of Paderborn focuses on theories of democracy, theories of digital democracy and social research on digital democracy. Its task is to conduct theoretical basic research and empirical social research on digital democracy. In addition to the University of Paderborn, the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence is one of the project partners in Germany. From Belgium, the Brussels-based strategy group Beyond the Horizon, the Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, the company Hybrid Core and the city administration of Geel are participating. Italian partners are the companies ICT Legal Consulting and Trust-IT with its subsidiary COMMpla. In Spain, the Cibervoluntarios Foundation and the city administration of San Martín de la Vega are also involved. The project partners from the various countries contribute their specific knowledge and experience. Overall, the interdisciplinary scientific expertise of the project comes from the fields of media and communication studies, political science, sociology, anthropology, computer science, privacy & security studies, education science and law.
Further information on the INNOVADE project is available at: https://innovade-democracy.eu.
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