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The possible use of local political The possible use of local political online forums to engage young online forums to engage young
people in local politics.people in local politics.
Kerill DunneKerill Dunne
Overview Overview
Background / definitions Background / definitions Criteria / forum typeCriteria / forum type Methodology Methodology Sampling strategy Sampling strategy Data entryData entry Concepts Concepts FindingsFindings
Political Political disengagement disengagement !!&&
Young PeopleYoung People
Participatory budgetingParticipatory budgeting
Hazel Blears (the new communities Hazel Blears (the new communities secretary)secretary)
10 pilot projects allowing citizens to direct 10 pilot projects allowing citizens to direct local spending local spending
Local Political Online ForumsLocal Political Online Forums
What is political?What is political? What is an online forum?What is an online forum?
Criteria Criteria Political criteria Online fora criteria
1 Necessary public action required
Situated on the English speaking World Wide Web.
2 There has to be public choice on local issues.
Do not require registration to read posts
3 Absence of independent ground i.e. conflicting viewpoints
The general layout is not that of a blog or a listserv or email list (unless list has achieved threads). There must be (the potential for) more than one contributor, each providing distinct, signed input, which remains on a message / discussion / bulletin threaded board.
4 Issues which affect all participants
Moderated or un-moderated
5 Forums which are exclusionary i.e. the republicans’ forum will not be collected. Nor will forums which are set up for one single issue i.e. environmentalism.
A rules based framework
6 There must be a thread dedicated to a village, town or city; not just threads for province, state or international issues. However, forums set up exclusively for local issues may contain some wider issues.
In the most general sense provides a format for citizens to participate in local / national decision making or input into policy formation
7 All citizens, private organisations and government officials must be allowed participate within.
8 Can be independently, privately or governmentally run.
Criteria Criteria con…con…
Design Design
East Harlem Online Discussion Forums - poEast Harlem Online Discussion Forums - powered by wered by vBulletinvBulletin
East Harlem Online Discussion Forums – PEast Harlem Online Discussion Forums – Politicsolitics
Oxfordshire ForumsOxfordshire Forums Oxfordshire Forums - AbingdonOxfordshire Forums - Abingdon
Analytic InductionAnalytic Induction
‘‘Analytic induction is an approach to the Analytic induction is an approach to the analysis of data in which the research seeks analysis of data in which the research seeks universal explanations of phenomena by universal explanations of phenomena by pursuing the collection of data until no cases pursuing the collection of data until no cases that are inconsistent with a hypothetical that are inconsistent with a hypothetical explanation (deviant or negative cases) of a explanation (deviant or negative cases) of a phenomena are found’phenomena are found’ (Bryman, 2004. (Bryman, 2004. p400)p400)
5 sampling strategies tried & 5 sampling strategies tried & rejectedrejected
Random geographic samplingRandom geographic sampling Quota (non-random) samplingQuota (non-random) sampling ClusterCluster Random numbersRandom numbers Random numbers with Google’s omitted Random numbers with Google’s omitted
resultsresults
Sampling strategy used Sampling strategy used
5 search phrases were developed 5 search phrases were developed Internet as a whole focused onInternet as a whole focused on Google’s most relevant search result pages Google’s most relevant search result pages
usedused All pages & forums examined All pages & forums examined This sample has an under representation of This sample has an under representation of
sites with few links to themsites with few links to them
Phrase Number of forums
Number of Google pages
1 Online political discussion forum
814 82
2 Local politics discussion forum
440 44
3 Community online discussion forum
859 86
4 Local government council online forum
780 78
5 Local politics message board 500 50
Total 3393 340
Data entryData entry
Software / commissioners Software / commissioners ActiveActive Select groupSelect group EvidenceEvidence Relevant debateRelevant debate Web address / email / locationWeb address / email / location Posts / threads / users/ exist Posts / threads / users/ exist Political model; Participatory type; Platform for Political model; Participatory type; Platform for
deliberationdeliberation
Data entry Data entry con…con…
Enveloped Enveloped 138 138 Q&CQ&C Missing dataMissing data
Participatory typeParticipatory type
Non ParticipationNon Participation Pseudo participationPseudo participation Partial participation Partial participation Full participation Full participation
DeliberationDeliberation
Mixed discourses and modes of Mixed discourses and modes of communicationcommunication
Rational deliberation redefinedRational deliberation redefined Non-rational, non-consensual deliberationNon-rational, non-consensual deliberation
Participatory democratic modelsParticipatory democratic models
Protective thin democracy Protective thin democracy Plural thin democracy Plural thin democracy Direct democracy Direct democracy Unitary democracy Unitary democracy Strong Democracy Strong Democracy
Preliminary findings Preliminary findings
Software and commissioners influenceSoftware and commissioners influence Not much activityNot much activity Influence on local government Influence on local government Moderation / administrationModeration / administration Posts 3333. Users 1411 Posts 3333. Users 1411
Preliminary findings Preliminary findings con..con..
DeliberationDeliberation EvidenceEvidence
Preliminary findings Preliminary findings con..con..
Political ModelPolitical Model Participatory typeParticipatory type Deliberative formDeliberative form ConclusionConclusion
Questions?Questions?
