From representative to participatory democracy : a look at how the key players in local politics view the role of social media in the development of the democratic process

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between representative and participatory democracy by looking at how key players in local politics view the role of social media in the development of the democratic process. Democracy is continuously changing and evolving within today’s world. New technologies and possibilities that enable social interaction as well as citizen political participation are continually evolving. In this context, democracies may be analysed in relation to various levels of participation and categorised into different participatory models. Jesper Stromback (2005) identifies four key models of democracy that explain the relationship between representative and participatory democracy. In order to analyse the present levels and future trends of citizen participation in local politics, interviews were conducted with key players, namely, politicians, academics and political media coordinators. Findings indicate that local key political players generally regard citizens as highly participative. However, participation is perceived by the same players as constituting mainly of voting turnout during elections, and consequently, the political role of social media is regarded as a tool through which political parties manage to influence individuals to participate in their political activities. This indicates that there is the need for further work for citizen participation to be present on all levels within society. Results further demonstrate that our current state of democracy functions heavily on top-down representation and that incorporating participatory democracy may necessitate a change in the way authority is perceived and related to in local culture.