Is rise of middle class good for democracy in developing world? Artificial Intelligence for Monitoring Elections (AIME) Seize post-ISIL opportunity for democracy, inclusion. IDEA expands Direct Democracy Database. Online Library Gives Syrians Access to Democracy Information | NDI. As the Syrian civil war heads into its fifth year, formal government institutions are no longer present across much of the country. The responsibility for community services, such as health care, education and humanitarian assistance, has fallen upon newly-elected local councils or other decision makers not affiliated with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The regime’s decades-long stifling of political participation has left Syrians unfamiliar with community organizing and advocacy techniques. But citizens at the grassroots level are making efforts to play a more active role in governance by identifying common concerns and priorities and sharing these with local decision makers to improve living conditions.
While Syrians are eager to learn about democratic practices, few resources are readily available on topics such as elections, citizen participation and local governance. Over the next several months, NDI will continue to expand the site and enlarge its database of resources. Social innovation and the challenge of democracy in Europe. Still from Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Great Beauty.” Credit: All rights reserved. What’s going on in Paris? This year over four thousand Parisians have been consulted on how to allocate twenty million Euros across fifteen projects that aim to improve the quality of life in the French capital. Anne Hidalgo, who was elected as the Mayor of Paris in April 2014, has introduced a participatory budget process to give citizens an opportunity to decide on the allocation of five per cent of the capital’s investment budget. For the first time in France, a politician is giving citizens some degree of direct control over public expenditure—a sum amounting to 426 million Euros in total between 2014 and 2020.
This is an example of social innovation, but not the pseudo-revolutionary, growth-obsessed, blind-to-power variety that’s constantly hyped by management consultants and public policy think tanks. How might this work? Charlie Hebdo massacre 'an assault on democracy' - Democracy Digest. The Linkages Between Technology And Democracy in Myanmar. Only about 10 to 15 percent of people in Myanmar own a mobile phone today, but Myanmar may become the first country ever to leapfrog over the simple stick phone and the slightly more advanced “feature phone” directly to the smartphone.
From the fruit seller in a rural market to the taxi driver in Yangon, cheap Chinese-made, Android-enabled smartphones are already the device of choice, even for those who have never heard of the Internet. But if they haven’t heard of the Internet yet, they will soon. International telecom giants from Norway and Qatar have launched services in the past month, and a Japanese firm is now working with the long-established national phone carrier to upgrade and extend its offerings, so voice and data connections will soon be spreading clear across the country.
And competition will drive the prices down even farther than they have already. Everyone who bought a phone to watch videos and share photos will soon be able to do so much more with it. A university 'laboratory for democracy' - Democracy Digest. Catalonia under Cyber attack during 9N elections for Independence.
Procés de participació ciutadana. More than 2 million Catalans vote in mock independence poll. By Associated Press November 9 at 8:00 PM BARCELONA — About 1.6 million people in Spain’s northeastern region of Catalonia voted Sunday in favor of breaking away from the country and carving out a new Mediterranean nation in a mock independence poll, but more Catalans stayed away either because of the poll’s questionable legality or their opposition to secession. Results released early Monday with 88 percent of votes counted showed that more than 2 million people voted, and that 1.6 million favored forming a new nation that would be separated from the European Union and forced to reapply for membership.
But 5.4 million were eligible to vote, meaning many did not participate amid worries about the vote’s lack of legal guarantees and its nonbinding status. Catalan lawmakers opted for the watered-down poll after plans to hold an official referendum on independence were suspended by Spain’s Constitutional Court amid the central government’s challenge that the referendum was unconstitutional. Democracy OR Multi-stakeholderism: Competing Models of Governance. Democracy at its simplest and most basic is governance by and for the people. Of course, there are a variety of conventions and values that are often invoked in the context of “democratic governance” and particularly for “democratic governments”, but democracy as governance by and for the governed would seem to be sufficient as a definition and particularly in the absence of formal structures, rules, behaviours or governmental structures.
I’ve elsewhere discussed how various instances of Multi-stakeholderism (MSism) have operated in the absence of or even in opposition to conventional understandings of democracy. However, continuing discussion and evolution in the way in which governance concerning the global Internet is being conceptualized is suggesting an approach to this governance which involves “democratic multi-stakeholderism” (DMsism). The difficulty with creating or even conceptualizing a “democratic multi-stakeholderism” is that at it’s core MSism is not “democratic”. Related. Can ICTs Improve Democracy and Governance in Myanmar? Internet access, in particular via mobile technology, gives citizens a medium through which to exercise their political voice.
It can be used to challenge preexisting power systems and is a potential game-changer in countries with undemocratic regimes. As we’ve seen with the Arab Spring, citizens can use Internet tools to place the fates of governments in citizens’ hands. In Myanmar, the technology landscape is changing fast. New mobile network operators are making massive infrastructure investments, lowering costs for mobile phones and data plans, and with new, innovative forms of Internet access, much of the country is about to be connected for the first time.
Technological innovations allow for better election monitoring, ways of informing citizens of party platforms, and accessing information on how to vote. Please sign up now to get invited to future events. Facebook as a game-changer for Myanmar’s governance might be a tad idealistic. International Day of Democracy: Engaging Young People on Democracy. The theme of this year’s International Day of Democracy – Engaging Young People on Democracy – is an opportunity to reflect on our Agency’s efforts to protect, support and empower young people across the globe, especially as they engage in democratic processes. Youth play a critical role in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts, and are often at the forefront of people’s movements, such as the “Arab Spring.”
Despite being the majority of the population of many of the countries in which USAID operates, youth are frequently excluded from the political process, due to members of older generations who expect subservience and offer no respect to youth voices. Studies have shown that not effectively engaging disaffected youth can result in instability in communities and nations in the long term, and foment unrest that may ultimately hinder – not assist – the advancement of peace and democracy. Ayuda Cataluña on Twitter: "Mensaje claro en la plaza España de Barcelona "queremos la independencia" #11S2014...
Joan M Diu TRAM 10 on Twitter: "Jo hi soc en aquesta foto #diada2014 tram 10.Impressionant # dret a decidir # 9-N @DiariBP @CDCseguretat @cdcempresa. Jaume Fortuny on Twitter: "When #WeWantToVote we're able 2 call for #democracy in a really amazing & pacific way #11S2014 #Catalonia #UnitsPel9N. Jaume Fortuny on Twitter: "9 lines of 4 persons creating a loooooong human flag of #Catalonia #11S2014 #WeWantToVote #democracy #UnitsPel9N. Jaume Fortuny on Twitter: "One hour to go, but #Barcelona is full for #democracy #11S2014 #Catalonia #UnitsPel9N... Jaume Fortuny on Twitter: "Difficult to organise, but not impossible #11S2014 #UnitsPel9N #Catalonia #WeWantToVote #democracy... Jaume Fortuny on Twitter: "Getting ready for the call to #democracy in #Catalonia #11S2014 #UnitsPel9N #Barcelona...
Scytl Closes $104M To Step Up Growth Of Its Electronic Voting Platform. Electronic voting company Scytl — whose name is pronounced ‘sight-el’ not ‘scuttle’ in case you’re wondering — has closed off a $104 million funding round, with a $44 million tranche announced today. The new investors contributing the latest and last tranche of funding in this round are Vy Capital, Adams Street Partners and Industry Ventures.
Previous investors in this round were Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, investing $40 million in April; and SAP Ventures investing $20 million in July. It’s the first funding Scytl has taken in since 2010 — when it closed a $9.2 million round, led by Balderton Capital, with Nauta Capital also participating — although the business has been profitable since 2006 and reports revenue growth averaging 70% per year. The Barcelona-based company was founded back in 2001 with the intention of offering software and web tools to modernize the voting and election process. Get the Facts: The Case of Jailed Egyptian Activist Alaa Abd El Fattah.
Campaign images designed by Hugh D'Andrade. Written by Mostafa Mohie and Manal Hassan, with editorial support from Lina Attalah and Ellery Roberts Biddle. A version of this article was originally published on Mada Masr. Egyptian pro-democracy activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah was sentenced to 15 years in prison this week, along with 24 other activists, for organizing a protest without a permit.
All 25 activists were convicted in absentia after being prohibited from entering the courtroom where their trial took place. In addition to jail time, they will face five years of probation and a LE100,000 (approximately EU 10,300) fine. The facts of Abd El Fattah’s case have been twisted by some and misinterpreted by others. November 28, 2013: Alaa is arrested and detained The protest in question, which sought to reject the constitutional stipulations on the military trials of civilians, was organized by the “No to Military Trials of Civilians” group.
Speak out for Alaa Abd El Fattah. EU Elections Overheat The Burning Catalonian Debate. Democracy and open data: are the two linked? Google Launches Live India Election Map. Inequality and Democracy. Getting democracy backwards in the Middle East. Zunzuneo and ethics in technology for democracy. A European Nation Within Spain. Consociationalism. Consociationalism (/kənˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənəlɪzəm/ kən-SOH-shee-AY-shən-əl-iz-əm) is often viewed as synonymous with power-sharing, although it is technically only one form of power-sharing.[1] Consociationalism is often seen as having close affinities with corporatism; some consider it to be a form of corporatism while others claim that economic corporatism was designed to regulate class conflict, while consociationalism developed on the basis of reconciling societal fragmentation along ethnic and religious lines.[2] Definition[edit] Concept origins[edit] Consociationalism was discussed in academic terms by the political scientist Arend Lijphart.
However, Lijphart has stated that he had "merely discovered what political practitioners had repeatedly – and independently of both academic experts and one another – invented years earlier".[3] John McGarry and Brendan O'Leary trace consociationalism back to 1917, when it was first employed in the Netherlands.[4] Characteristics[edit] Advantages[edit] Should Catalonia be an independent country? - ReferendumCatalonia.com. Why do elections matter? Why the European Parliament Elections Matter. Voters in all 28 member states of the European Union (EU) will go to the polls May 22–25, 2014, to elect representatives to the 751-seat European Parliament. It’s one of the largest democratic events in the world, and the upcoming vote is set to be the most important such elections to date. Over 413 million European citizens will have the opportunity to influence the future direction of the EU. Why do the European Parliament Elections matter?
The elections are taking place during a period of profound political and economic crisis, and will shape EU politics for the next five years. The results will determine the answers to such questions as: How can the eurozone be made robust and sustainable? Should austerity policies be maintained or abandoned? Through the ballot box, voters will have the chance to determine the political majority of the European Parliament. What kinds of opportunities for a more open society will the elections bring? Voter participation is a challenge. Jordan: Deliver on Promises to Respect Free Expression. (Amman) – Jordanian lawmakers should undertake critical reforms in 2014 to remove or amend laws that place impermissible limits on free expression, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2014.
Jordanian officials prosecuted people during 2013 on such vaguely worded charges as “insulting an official body,” “undermining the political regime,” and “disturbing relations with a foreign state,” to stifle peaceful expression. Authorities failed to bring the 1960 penal code into compliance with constitutional free speech guarantees strengthened by 2011 constitutional amendments. “It’s shameful that Jordanian prosecutors can still imprison people who simply chant a slogan at a protest or voice an opinion about a leader,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Constitutional guarantees are just ink on paper if the authorities don’t get rid of penal code articles that undermine them.” How West’s democracies generated rights-based culture.
Spanish Parliament to debate Catalonia’s bill requesting the transfer of referendum powers. The Spanish Parliament will debate Catalonia’s petition to organise referendums in September. The Catalan request is added to the list of bills sent by Autonomous Community parliaments. The Spanish Parliament debates one of these bills per month, on the first Tuesday of the month. The bills are put on the agenda in order of arrival. Before the Catalan bill, there are 5 other motions already sent that will have to be debated earlier. This makes the Catalan Parliament’s motion scheduled for a plenary session in September, after the summer break and into the next period of sessions, since all the other slots are already occupied.
However, sometimes an Autonomous Parliament cancels one of its motions, as happened recently with a bill sent by the Valencian Chamber. Catalan parties to manoeuvre for debating the bill earlier By doing this, the bill filed by CiU, ERC and ICV-EUiA would be debated much earlier, probably in March. Liquid Democracy is not voting or delegative democracy. Excerpted from Josef Davies-Coates: ” a very important point made by Sayke, the guy who came up with the idea, is almost universally missed by most people who talk about it these days, and by every single software implementation I’ve seen to date. And that is the difference between vote delegation/ proxies and vote recommendations. See here, where he writes: “Other systems similar to LD have been designed, but as far as I know they employ vote proxying, rather than answer recommendation.” And here, where he re-eiterates the same point : “I’d just like to stress the difference between vote proxying and vote recommendation.
He doesn’t spell it out, but vote recommendations also help to keep power at the edges where it belongs, and makes it harder for people to become too influential. As Sayke wrote at the end of that article from 10 years ago: “I felt like LD was being sorely misinterpreted – people were basing their picture of LD off of 3 year old information. Using technology to involve Tunisians in new constitution. A screenshot from the website which enables Tunisians to vote on articles in their new constitution. As the first Arab country to have a constitution drafted back in 1861, Tunisia is again at the forefront of change as it takes its final steps in its democratic transition. The country that led the Arab Spring revolutions in the region is now – more than 150 years later – almost ready to adopt its new constitution, which will preside over the different institutions and bodies of the republic. Transparency International’s Tunisian partner I Watch has been playing a vital role throughout this transition process to promote good governance and transparency.
As soon as the vote on the constitution kicked off on 3 January, we began monitoring the process directly from the Constituent Assembly. The monitoring will continue until the last day of the voting by the deputies (members of the assembly) on 25 January, according to government timelines. Role reversal Carousel image: Copyright, I Watch. Thai Protests Challenge 'Corrupt' Democracy. Democracy in Peril in Asia. Commitment to freedom 'an existential interest for Western democracies,' says report - Democracy Digest. Democracy Gets an Electronic Boost. When Will We See Tanks in Barcelona? Paraguay’s ‘Indignados’ Win a Round Against Congress. Civil Society and the Quest for Democracy in Uganda: Threats and Opportunities.
In Pakistan, women work to strengthen democracy. A summary of the partner’s activities in April 2013. | ICT for Democracy East Africa. Spanish Constitutional Court Suspends Catalonia’s Declaration of Sovereignty. No aid to Egypt without democracy and human rights, says EU Parliament | | Equal Power - Lasting Peace. Teaching Students to “Protect the Vote!”: Leveraging CrowdMaps for Kenyan Election Monitoring.
Voting Will Change the Lives of Zimbabwe’s Women. How Democracy Kills in Indonesia and Pakistan. Egyptian Constitutional Referendum Marked by Low Turnout, Allegations of Fraud. eDemocracy in Botswana – connecting citizens and leaders. Free And Open? World Governments Discuss The Internet In Secret. Tuitòmetre. How can technology and new media improve the lives of Montenegrin citizens. Committee on Constitutional Affairs. What Makes a Public Space Good for Democracy? - Politics. Europe, the Bailouts and the Crisis of Democracy.
Watch Lawrence Lessig Lectures episodes on Blip. CeDEM Asia 2012. The commons: beyond the market vs. state dilemma. Which democracy after the ‘Arab Spring’? / nº 57 / Notes Internacionals / Publications. A different way of doing things. European publics, desperately seeking European politics. Power from the people: crowdsourcing the constitution. Internet Use Promotes Democracy Best In Countries That Are Already Partially Free. Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media. ICT4D Bibliography » Work » Online Town Hall Meetings. Exploring Democracy in the 21st Century.