Demonstration and Talk on uses and implications of the Internet for democratic participation—An online Collaboratory for participation in the WSIS process.

Jane Finnerup Johnsen
The Danish United Nations Association (UNA-Denmark)

Derrick Cogburn
Syracuse University School of Information Studies

     Full text: Not available
     Last modified: March 15, 2005

Abstract
This talk and demonstration explores the use and impact of Internet based communication tools for a transnational policy-actor network; active in the United Nations sponsored World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The case at hand evolves around a specific group, the WFUNA Task Force (TF) on WSIS and the experiences this group has had with using online tools for democratic deliberation in the WSIS process. The WFUNA TF on WSIS consists of 7 United Nations Associations mainly located in developing countries . They are all members of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) . Despite a basic common political point of departure – working for the realization of the United Nations Charter – the group members have specific national interests and identities, and are geographically and culturally very diverse (spanning 4 continents and numerous time-zones). In addition the group also faces different limitations in relation to financial, technical and human resources. Moreover, the WSIS process is very complex and, despite the development focus, Civil Society organizations from developing countries are often challenged by lack of both financial and human capacity to actively and physically participate and therefore fully engage in such processes.

These obstacles made the WFUNA TF recognize the need for alternative technological tools in order to both strengthen the internal group dynamic and thus in turn, through this online democratic deliberation, strengthen the group impact in the international proceedings.


The talk and demonstration specifically explores:

·The concrete use of the tool – including an on-line demonstration

·The implementation, introduction and adaptation of the tool to the group needs

·Documentation and specific indicators for the use of the tools, such as number of meetings, number of participants, frequency of meetings etc.

·And in conclusion how and if the use of these tools have affected the group and what impact the use of these tools have had on the groups ability to, through online democratic deliberation, strengthen active engagement in an international political process.