This presentation was meant for the #OpenGovernance session in Ghent on 11 June 2018 CRTL-ALT-DEL to ALT-GOV as part of the Eurocities #Cities4Europe campaign. All copyright belongs to Anthony Zacharzewski.

1. The Democratic Society
@demsoc
Alt-gov, Ctrl-shift
Anthony Zacharzewski
Digipolis Gent, 11 June 2018

2. @demsoc
Reasons to be cheerful
• Participation in
the mainstream
• New initiatives
taking root
• Going beyond
consultations

3. @demsoc
Spreading good practice

4. @demsoc
New initiatives growing

5. @demsoc
Going beyond consultations

6. @demsoc
Reasons to be cautious
• Is anybody listening?
• Capacity is low
• Embedding
participation needs
systemic change

7. @demsoc
Reasons to be worried
• Disinformation
• Empowering the
powerful
• The rise of 50+1
thinking

8. @demsoc
What are we doing about it
• Engaging with local democracy
• Digital and social infrastructure
• Joining up local innovation
• Sharing and supporting national
government initiatives
• Connecting the European conversation
• Scaffolding European democracy

9. @demsoc
Where we need to do more (1)
• How does participation work for those
who lack skills, capacity and
confidence ?
• Trust and reliable information
• Financially sustainable long-term
participation models

10. @demsoc
Where we need to do more (2)
• Creating a social movement for
democracy - between campaigning and
one-off engagement
• Understanding where digital will help
and hurt in five years
• Changing culture faster in government
and politics

11. @demsoc
Anthony Zacharzewski
ajz10@demsoc.org
@anthonyzach
June 2018