Worth to visit…1

Greece is many times referred as the “cradle” or “birthplace” of democracy. However, and as in many cases concepts (similar to people…) may migrate or change their living places. We think it is worth this time to go and visit a British site: it is this of the Hansard Society to have some good material on lessons for democracy in the times of BigBrother:

http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/

(The Hansard Society is an independent educational charity which brings together MPs, peers, academics, journalists, parliamentary staff, civil servants, business and industry, trade unions, corporate affairs managers, interest and lobby groups and others with an interest in the political process from across the political spectrum to promote effective parliamentary democracy.)

Worth to visit…2

The Committee for the Future: The Parliament of Finland has assumed an active role in the discourse on the future of the nation. The Parliament has established a special Committee for the Future to evaluate and assess certain ongoing processes and trends in the society.

http://www.parlament.fi/efakta/vk/tuv/tuv4e.htm

Worth to visit…3

Ariadne goes Finland! While almost all people involved in European IST research prepare their bags and buy tickets to go to Helsinki, the two editors of Ariadne, Adamantios and Francesco, will extend their stay in Finland and shall participate in a seminar that is worth to attend: Politics on the Internet: New Forms and Media for Political Action.

Some background on the seminar and the people who organize it:

The ONDIS project has worked for four years on eParticipation and new democractic practices induced by the growing use of ICT's.

The project ends on Dec 2006, and will produce two doctoral theses and other scientific studies on the issue.

More on the project and seminar, see http://www.edemokratia.uta.fi/eng

Open international research and post-graduate seminar

"Politics on the Internet: New Forms and Media for Political Action."

Date: November 24-25 2006 (Fri-Sat)

Organiser: Online Discussions as Political Action

ONDIS Project Department of Political Science & International Relations University of Tam pere

The aim of the seminar is to enhance dialogue between researchers conducting studies on Internet politics. We welcome a wide range of topics but particularly encourage critical thinking within and across different theories on political mobilisation, action, styles, participation and information warfare.

The seminar focuses on studying the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as political tool, channel, and forum enabling the people to transcend the normal limits and constrains of politics beyond the boundaries of any political system.

Connected to the question of new forum of political participation, and new forms/types of activity, the task is to analyse how ICTs enable citizens and activity groups to promote their own political visions, admissions, and to influence the agenda of public discussion, challenge official policy, and act politically.

The second objective of the seminar is to theoritise and clarify the concept of political participation. The new forms of political participation and activity have an effect on the structures and dynamics of the democratic political system. This theoretical discussion of the interconnectedness of Internet politics with the nature of the political system has not been profoundly analysed in academic discussions.

The third objective is to scrutinise the role of the Internet in the context of information warfare and security, cyber-terrorism and hacktivism. Especially we encourage the interdisciplinary discussion on the issues concerning the political aspects of information war and e-crimes.

For any information or requests please contact the organizers:

Jarmo Rinne (jarmo.rinne@uta.fi) and Tapio Häyhtiö (tapio.hayhtio@uta.fi)