Lesson learned after the European elections

Young people have many skills, energy and potential contributions to make into society and politics. Having a critical look at the current turnout of the elections to the European Parliament one month ago, obviously they don’t consider their input by voting as not necessary.  This development calls urgently for an answer. However, digital information and e-communication technologies could play a motivating role. But the official political and civil institutions struggle with the implementation of new, e-based concepts fostering active citizenship and e-participation structures in order to get the young generation politically more involved. 

How is the future political and civil sphere in our society challenged by participative technologies?  Does this development produce more active and participative users/citizens/consumers? These questions were discussed during an expert workshop held at Salzburg University, July 3rd 2009, where Eva Feldmann-Wojtachnia (Research Group Youth and Europe at C·A·P) was invited to an input on the “Foundations of Participation”.

During the workshop "Interdisciplinary perspectives on eParticipation" the organizers brought around 30 participants from various countries and with different professional backgrounds together to discuss  aspects of e-participation and implication for democracy. The workshop aimed at providing a platform for the Austrian e-participation community to consolidate and to broaden e-Participation research into a joint interdisciplinary endeavor.

Projects of the Research Group Youth and Europe are financed by the Federal Ministery for Family, Women, Seniors and Youth.

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Workshop-Presentation "Foundations of Participation"

Programme and further information