A INCLUSÃO DIGITAL COMO POLÍTICA PÚBLICA REGIONAL SONDAGENS SOBRE A REUNIFICAÇÃO DO ESPAÇO E DO TEMPO DA PARTICIPAÇÃO SOCIAL / DIGITAL INCLUSION AS A REGIONAL PUBLIC POLICY A SURVEY ON THE REUNIFICATION OF THE SPACE AND THE TIME OF SOCIAL PARTICIPATION

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

The regional integration processes occupy the middle ground between the local and the global spheres. In the European Union, the regional institutions formulate norms and policies, which are very important for the coherence among the superposed spheres of governance. The social participation on their elaboration is a crucial factor for the legitimacy of this political endeavor. We investigate if its possible for the citizens to be directly and continuously engaged throughout the regulatory and policy-making processes in regional integration experiences. What underpin this question are the changes that took place at the end of the XXth Century, with the rise and convergence of the information and communication technologies. The hypothesis of the research is that citizen communities in cyberspace have the potential to fill the virtual public space of integration processes with a dynamics of discussion, providing continuous interaction among citizens, as well as with institutional representatives. This would be a way to enhance social participation and diminish the levels of democratic deficit. The Internet reinforces two elements, which are essential for social participation: the availability of information and the channels of interactivity. The information on official sites contributes to raise awareness about regional integration, while the active engagement can be supported by the tools of digital communication. We conclude that, with the aid of technology, its possible to develop a continuous participation on regulation and policy making in integration processes. However, this is not yet a reality in Mercosur for two main reasons. Firstly, theres a lack of information and scarcity of channels for social interaction, which should be provided by the regional institutions. Secondly, theres not enough access to infrastructure and skills, necessary for the digital inclusion. The convergence of the political agendas regarding information society can be a powerful instrument to provide growth and equity. The elaboration of a common policy of digital inclusion in Mercosur could foster a culture of taking public actions together, as well as succeed to strengthen the integration process itself.

ASSUNTO(S)

european union cyberdemocracy inclusão digital política pública mercosul união européia public policy ciberdemocracia digital inclusion mercosur economia

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