Civic Participation in the Datafied Society| A Democratic Approach to Digital Rights: Comparing Perspectives on Digital Sovereignty on the City Level

Authors

  • Paola Pierri Lucerne University of Applied Science—HSLU
  • Elizabeth Calderón Lüning Weizenbaum Institute and University of the Arts Berlin

Keywords:

digital sovereignty, digital rights, participation, deliberation, democracy

Abstract

This article will be drawing on two cases to reflect on the impact of different ways of practicing civic engagement in urban digitalization policy. Both cases reflect on the importance of cities playing an active role in the promotion of digital rights, obligation of public participation in digital policy making, and need for political digital education to enable democratic conversations on digital transformation. From a democratic theory point of view, the shifts happening through the digitalization of societies raise interesting questions regarding what modes of governance should be implemented for improving digital sovereignty, which could be in line with “locally” grounded politics. Theoretically, the article will frame these issues of governance and civic participation within the literature on “digital sovereignty,” understood as going beyond national territory toward issues of independence, democratic control, and autonomy over digital infrastructures, technologies, and content.

Author Biographies

Paola Pierri, Lucerne University of Applied Science—HSLU

Paola Pierri is currently Senior Research Associate at Luzern University of Applied Science. She has a doctorate in Design Anthropology and specialises in Anthropology of Technology with a particular research focus on the impact of digital technologies on societies and on democracy more broadly. Prior to her current role Paola has been Director of Research at Democratic Society, Associate Professor at Polimi and Research Fellow at Weizenbaum Institute where she was researching on the topic of digital inequalities. Her research interest focuses on different elements of the connection between digital and democracy: from exploring modes of digital activism and participation, to investigating questions of justice and human rights that arise (or are exacerbated) as a result of the increased digitalisation of the public space

Elizabeth Calderón Lüning, Weizenbaum Institute and University of the Arts Berlin

Elizabeth Calderón Lüning is currently associated researcher at the  Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society in Berlin and guest researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. She is finishing her doctorate in design and political science with a special focus on democratizing digital policy and urban digital sovereignty.

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Published

2023-05-18

Issue

Vol. 17 (2023)

Section

Special Sections

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