Using case studies from countries such as Burma, Mexico and Uganda, the study explores whether the use of technology in citizen participation programs amplifies citizen voices and increases government responsiveness and accountability, and whether the use of digital technology increases the political clout of citizens.

1. Citizen Participation & Technology

2. Knowledge of technology’s impact is low
Exuberance and funding for technology are
high

3. Reviewed 56 NDI Programs

4. Key Informant Interviews
Case Studies and Vignettes

5. Citizen Participation
Democratization
Deepens Political Practice
In Three Dimensions...
...to enhance
Political
Space
Citizen
Voice
Government
Accountability

6. Information
Access
CSOs
Credibility
Strength
Citizenship
Citizen
Voice

7. Occupied
RelationshipsAccessible
Meaningful
Political
Space

8. Responsiveness
Transparency
Capacity to
Respond
Political Will
Government
Accountability

9. Study Findings

10. Technology is being used to create
spaces and opportunities for
citizens to express their voices

11. But making these voices politically
stronger is a harder challenge that is
political and not technological

12. CapacityWill
Technology may have changed the ability to respond
to citizens, but has not changed actual government
behavior

13. Technology enables governments to
reach wider audiences...
...but treat the public as consumers
not as citizens with agency

14. A blurring between
technologies for open data and
the politics of open government

15. Crowdsourcing does not create self-
organizing, politically influential groups

16. Not evident that access to technology increases
the political power of marginalized groups

17. What’s Working ?
Increased the possibility of
political process monitoring
Technology + Political Development + Resources

18. Rapid responses to political openings

19. Amplifying the political
organization of CSOs

20. Moving Forward...

21. Aspirations are too high for the democratizing
impact of technology on its own

22. Programs need to define a plausible connection
between technology and democratic development

23. Adequate funding is needed for the
political implementation of
technology

24. Practitioners need to be adept at applying
technology for democratization

26. Distribution slide / make it a wordcloud
Outreach