Electronic Democracy in Europe

This edited book is the first of its kind to
systematically address the intersection of e-democracy and European politics.
It contributes to an improved understanding of the role that new media
technologies play in European politics and the potential impact that
Internet-based political participation processes may have on modern-day
representative democracy in Europe. A unique, holistic approach is taken to examine
e-democracy’s current state and prospects in Europe from three, partially
overlapping and interlocking perspectives: e-public, e-participation and
e-voting. The authors provide both theory-inspired reflections on e-democracy’s
contribution to the formation of the European public sphere, as well as rich
empirical analyses of contemporary e-participation phenomena such as the
European Citizens’ Initiative or e-voting practices in Estonia. Based on the presented
findings, the concluding chapter combines a prospective outlook with
recommendations for future paths towards meaningful integration of e-democracy
in European politics and governance.