Spatial, temporal and semantic contextualization of citizen participation

Abstract

Citizen participation (CP) aims to reinforce the engagement of citizens in decision-making processes about significant choices affecting their cities and communities. With the emergence of the web-based crowdsourcing model, participants have become more involved in electronic participation processes. However, according to the literature, CP processes are in some cases, disconnected from citizens' living context and lacking responsiveness. In this paper, we argue the relevance of context in citizen participation and we propose a conceptual model for opinion contextualization that is based on semantic, spatial and temporal dimensions. The contextualization aims to connect citizens' input to relevant contextual variables that would enhance the understanding of concerns and thus to increase participation processes responsiveness. In order to test the proposed approach, a qualitative analysis process was handled based on a random sample of public transportation data in a city in Canada. This study argues the relevance of considering spatial, temporal and semantic dimensions in citizen participation processes.