Democratic Engagement Research Articles

An analysis of the role of disinformation in elections

Electoral disinformation poses a significant threat to democratic processes, particularly in politically polarised environments like Zimbabwe. This paper examines the efficacy of the CITE project, a six-month high-impact initiative aimed at countering electoral disinformation during the August 2023 plebiscite. The primary objective was to mitigate the impact of disinformation on citizen participation by training citizens and community journalists to identify, flag, and combat misinformation. Methodologically, the study employed a qualitative exploratory approach, including workshops, social media campaigns, and a systematic desk review of existing literature and primary data sources. Key findings indicate that the project successfully raised awareness about disinformation, reaching over 100,000 people on Facebook with a campaign debunking election boycott rumours. However, the initiative faced limitations such as poor internet connectivity in rural areas and resistance from political actors benefiting from disinformation. The study underscores the importance of tailored strategies for different media platforms and highlights the efficacy of infographics and low-literacy data packaging methods in building trust. The research also identifies the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration and the potential of AI and machine learning in detecting disinformation. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to understanding the dynamics of disinformation in electoral processes and its practical implications for enhancing media literacy and democratic engagement. By comparing Zimbabwe's challenges and solutions with those of other countries, the study offers valuable insights for developing robust counter-disinformation strategies globally.

Does Serendipity Affect Democratic Consequences? Examining the Role of Algorithmic Awareness, Intolerance of Uncertainty in Incidental News Exposure and Online Political Participation

Abstract In the context of social media becoming users' primary access to information, such as news, incidental news exposure under the influence of algorithmic recommendation and its democratic consequences are worth studying. While studies on the relationship between social media users’ incidental news exposure and online political participation have been widely explored, we know little about the current mechanisms of variable association in the context of algorithmic recommendations. This study examines the mediating role of algorithmic awareness and the moderating effect of intolerance of uncertainty on the relationship between incidental news exposure and online political participation among Chinese social media users. Findings indicate that algorithmic awareness negatively mediates this relationship, suggesting that users’ participation in online politics is heightened by their awareness of algorithmic curation. Intolerance of uncertainty positively moderates the link between incidental news exposure and online political participation, emphasizing the impact of personality traits on democratic engagement. This study underscores the importance of transparent algorithmic systems and user-centred design in fostering informed citizen participation in the digital era and offers a comprehensive perspective on the role of serendipity in Chinese democratic participation.

Influence of modes of communication on public participation in Laikipia County, Kenya

This study investigates the impact of communication modes on enhancing public participation in Laikipia County, Kenya. The objective of the study was to examine how different communication channels affect citizen involvement in government-led development processes. Public participation is crucial for fostering democratic governance and equitable development. However, in Kenya, achieving substantial public engagement has been challenging, partly due to the use of ineffective communication channels. This study hypothesizes that such channels hinder meaningful public participation. To explore this, a hybrid analytics method was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, to assess how various communication modes influence public engagement. The research utilized a dataset comprising 384 respondents collected between June and July 2024. Data analysis, completed in July 2024, revealed several that different modes of communication significantly affect the level of public participation, influencing how well citizens receive and comprehend information about development initiatives. Channels that facilitate clearer, more direct communication leads to higher levels of understanding and engagement among the public. Effective communication channels are essential for fostering meaningful public involvement, as they impact citizens' responses and behaviours towards development activities. These findings underscore the importance of utilizing effective communication strategies to enhance public participation in development processes. The study contributes to a better understanding of how communication methods can be optimized to support democratic engagement and improve development outcomes in Kenya.

President Wonder Woman and Congresswoman Batgirl: the authoritarian Überfrau and democratic resilience in superheroine comics

ABSTRACT Comic books are important sites where norms related to gender, leadership, and democratic engagement are negotiated. In this essay, we examine two comic book depictions of women’s political leadership: Diana Prince/Wonder Woman’s stint as US president, published in 1944, and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl’s tenure as a member of US Congress, published between 1972 and 1980. We contrast Wonder Woman’s tale of democratic fragility and gendered conflict with a Batgirl narrative that promotes a more complex view of women’s political agency and subordinates superheroism to the strength of democratic community. We contend that Wonder Woman #7 reflects the fascist tendencies observed in other Golden Age comics and theorize Überfrau as a counterpart to Übermensch, rooted in an ostensible ethic of protection and authoritarian white femininity. Reading Wonder Woman #7 through the lens of the Überfrau reveals the contours of an antidemocratic white women’s authoritarianism that continues to resonate in twenty-first century politics. An antidote to the reactionary Überfrau is offered by Batgirl, who eschews the role of super savior and puts the responsibility for democratic health into voters’ hands. We conclude by examining how these contrasting visions of women’s political leadership are echoed by women politicians in contemporary political culture.

The financialisation of contemporary urban planning policy discourse: insights into Serbian and Irish planning legislation

ABSTRACT While existing literature highlights the role of private real estate interests in shaping urban policy agendas, few studies have examined formal changes in planning legislation as a key site of influence. This paper investigates planning legislation reforms in Serbia and Ireland as illustrative cases of a broader trend of reducing investment risks and enhancing the financial viability of real estate development. Employing critical and context-sensitive narrative analysis of policy change, we present three key insights. First, we reveal how planning has been transformed into a tool for creating real estate assets driven primarily by financial considerations. Second, we demonstrate that public interest is often subordinated to private interests under a policy narrative dominated by financial sector logic and document how legislative and policy changes frequently introduce new barriers that restrict democratic engagement in planning policy formation. Third, we identify an increasing centralization in planning administrative structures, which undermines the principle of subsidiarity and provides opportunities for certain lobby groups to exert undue influence over policymakers. As the financial sector's influence on built environments grows globally, this study calls for more research into how real estate finance and planning systems affect each other, and how this plays out in practice.

Tweeting, talking, or doing politics? Testing the influence of communication on democratic engagement

Being politically and civically engaged is known to benefit society. Using online forums, such as Twitter (the social media platform now known as X), for democratic engagement is now commonplace. However, research is inconclusive on whether offline and online activities similarly result in real-world engagement. Using secondary analysis of Pew data, both types of engagement are compared among Twitter users. Results show Twitter users engaged online, but not offline. However, those who posted about political/social issues democratically engaged both offline and online.

Latent democratic potential: reflections on contemporary citizenship education in Singapore

AbstractDemocratic citizenship education aims to empower students for active participation in democratic deliberation and meaningful public action. However, defining 'democratic' is complex, and ideals vary. Singapore's education system has faced criticism for perceived shortcomings in preparing students for democratic engagement. Concerns include a lack of understanding of democracy, a tendency to accept hierarchy without critical assessment, and a superficial grasp of citizenship concepts. The social studies curriculum and overall school environment are often seen as limited in fostering democratic involvement. This is attributed in the literature to a lack of explicit commitment to democracy in Singapore's citizenship education. Instead, the system appears to lean towards uncritical adherence to national values and commitment to the nation. This paper challenges the focus on formal citizenship education by exploring the potential for democratic engagement within the broader Singapore curriculum. It argues that implicit democratic values emerge through initiatives like "Thinking School, Learning Nation" and the 21st-century competencies framework, fostering critical thinking, which is crucial for developing democratic dispositions. The analysis of alignment between competencies in Singapore education initiatives and those crucial for contemporary democratic participation offers a nuanced understanding of citizenship education beyond its traditional link to notions of liberal democracy. The paper contributes to debates about democracy's relevance in non-liberal democratic contexts, enriching our understanding of alternative pathways to civic engagement and possible futures for democratic citizenship.

Taking the Right Lessons from Lenin and the Russian Revolution

Eric Blanc's article, “Taking the Right Lessons from Lenin and the Russian Revolution,” critically examines the enduring influence of Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution on socialist movements, highlighting the challenges of applying revolutionary strategies in parliamentary contexts. Blanc argues that while Leninist parties have played significant roles in advancing working-class interests, their revolutionary approach has been less effective in advanced capitalist democracies. He emphasizes that the Russian Revolution demonstrated the potential to overthrow capitalism but warns against overgeneralizing its strategies. Blanc critiques the myth of Bolshevik exceptionalism and the rigid organizational discipline often associated with Leninism, proposing instead a more flexible and inclusive approach to building socialist movements. By analyzing the experiences of socialist parties across the Russian Empire, particularly in Finland and Latvia, Blanc illustrates the effectiveness of uniting radical and moderate socialists within broader workers' parties. He argues that a strategy rooted in democratic socialism, adaptable to varying political contexts, offers a more viable path to socialist transformation than the insurrectionary models promoted by early Leninists. Blanc concludes that the key to advancing socialism lies in scaling up working-class and socialist organization through transformative reforms and democratic engagement, rather than adhering to prescriptive revolutionary strategies.

Considering AI for the Classroom to Boost Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses significant risks to society in general and to higher education specifically. However, it offers potential benefits regarding students’ civic learning and democratic engagement. By equipping students with the skills to use AI for the common good and fostering their awareness of the potential dangers of AI, we can bolster democracy. In this article, we explore the status quo along with expectations and near-term predictions for AI. Next, we explore some of the most significant and common AI-related concerns. Finally, we draw upon a variety of resources, identify “best practices,” analyze the strengths and weaknesses of AI, and discuss class-tested teaching techniques to put forth an AI-based pedagogical approach that can maximize AI’s positive potential while side-stepping areas of concern.

College Students as Participants in Our Democracy

Low rates of voter engagement characteristic of the college-age demographic are determined by a host of factors. These factors vary according to geography, demographic variables, and individual inclinations. Those who strive to strengthen our democracy through increasing access to our political system confront many challenges, and there exists no “one-size-fits-all” approach. College campuses, where young voters obviously congregate in large numbers, provide a primary access point for democratic engagement efforts. Institutions of higher education are compelled to respond to the federal mandate put forth by the Higher Education Act to provide information on voter registration. Anecdotal information suggests a greatly varied response to this call. A sample of campus programs attempting to engage college and university voters are presented here, demonstrated by peer-based actions in 1) an institute for civic and community engagement in St. Louis, Missouri, 2) a public policy center in Indianola, Iowa, 3) an intensive interdisciplinary curricular experience in Oswego, New York, and 4) a broad-based voter education initiative in Springfield, Missouri. They differ greatly in terms of funding sources, campus positions of their administrating personnel, curricular versus co-curricular actions, and the degree of administrative support to mobilize and engage members of the campus community. In addition, participating students learn to recognize the agency they wield in molding the political world they want to experience and are more likely to continue their civic engagement post-graduation.

Cultivating Political Efficacy: Facilitation as a Catalyst for Democratic Education and Civic Competence

ABSTRACT Participation in democratic processes is a cornerstone for good governance and societal trust. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and academic literature emphasize enhancing civic engagement to foster democracy, shape policies, and build societal trust. Within this context, the concept of facilitation gains prominence as a vital mechanism that enhances participatory inclusivity and better decision-making through capacity-building. However, the current scope of facilitation is limited, mainly emphasizing its role as a skill for democratic engagement but neglecting its capacity to confront declining political efficacy. To address this oversight, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of facilitation in the context of democratic participation and political efficacy. Conducting a systematized review of 54 publications, the paper contributes significantly to the largely underexplored domain of facilitation theory. The study's findings offer a nuanced understanding of facilitation's role in democratic engagement. Far from just serving as a tool for managing interpersonal relations, the data demonstrate that facilitation is primarily employed to navigate process conflicts concerning agency, power, and responsibility. Furthermore, the data highlights a significant link between facilitation practice and increased internal and external political efficacy. These insights position facilitation as a crucial catalyst for democratic education, playing a key role in fostering a more engaged and resilient democratic society.

Unmasking Logical Fallacies: An Analysis of The 2024 Indonesian Vice-Presidential Debates

The logical fallacies that emerged in the 2024 Indonesian vice-presidential candidate debates is interested. By analyzing debate through a descriptive qualitative approach and employing Damer's (2009) classification theory, the study evaluates the presence of unconvincing arguments in the discourse of the three vice-presidential candidates. Logical fallacies, which are errors in reasoning, can obscure listeners and impact comprehension and the quality of arguments in a debate. Data were collected by transcribing argumentative speeches from two YouTube videos of the debates. There were 120 utterances produced by the three vice-presidential candidates. From 120 utterances, 60 logical fallacies were found. The findings reveal that the most prevalent logical fallacies included red herrings (16.67%), where candidates diverted attention from relevant topics to irrelevant ones. Ad hominem attacks (11.67%) were also common. Additionally, appeals to authority (11.67%) cited influential figures to support his argument on "ecological repentance," without strengthening the logical foundation of his argument. This research underscores the importance of recognizing cognitive biases that can undermine argument objectivity. The study highlights the need for heightened awareness of rhetorical manipulation among speakers and audiences to foster a more critical and informed debate culture. The study contributes to political communication studies by providing insights into the rhetorical strategies used in Indonesian political debates and their implications for democratic engagement. The prevalence of logical fallacies points to the necessity for improved debate standards to enhance rational political discourse, ultimately benefiting the democratic process by encouraging informed and constructive participation

"One Day It Will Happen For Us": The Power of Academia in Community-University Service-Learning Partnerships

This qualitative research explores the community-university partnership experience from the perspective of community organizations engaged in a service-learning (SL) relationship with a private university in a developing country with a collectivist culture. The research explores the relational exchange among partners and foregrounds the issues of power and power redistribution in SL partnerships. The conceptual framework used is informed by conceptions from Dewey (1986), Freire (1996), values of democratic engagement (Saltmarsh et al., 2009), and the critical SL framework (Mitchell, 2008). Findings indicated that faculty were engaged in a traditional SL model in which the focus was not on the process of engagement but on the outcome of the SL experience. The definition of a partnership from community partners was linked to gains and to current or future access to resources. The perception and definition of power impacted community respondents’ reactions to the power dynamic in the ongoing interactions. Being situated in a collectivist culture seemed to impact the community members’ acceptance of unequal relationships. Findings suggested that in a collectivist context, partnerships cannot be examined without considering the context and culture in which the relationship takes place, as both will impact how a community partner defines an authentic relationship and, accordingly, what they expect from the partnership. The power of academia can be intimidating to community partners, so faculty must proactively map out power differentials and initiate reflections and discussions on power dynamics as part of the partnership building process.

Do educators get it? Examining understanding of compulsory civic education for learners in Zambian secondary schools

This study explores educators' understanding of the rationale for Civic Education to be taught as a compulsory subject to learners in secondary schools in Zambia, as enshrined in the national policy on education. The study was conducted in all secondary schools of Kabwe district, guided by the Advocacy Coalition Framework Theory (ACF). Using a mixed-method approach within a pragmatic research paradigm, data were collected from 239 participants. Quantitative insights were derived from 215 respondents across 32 selected schools, including head teachers, heads of Social Science departments, heads of Civic Education sections, and Civic Education teachers who completed an online questionnaire. Qualitative data involved interviews with 24 educators and 2 Ministry of Education officials, supplemented by document analysis of national policy and curriculum frameworks. Findings underscore a robust awareness among educators of Civic Education's role in fostering informed citizenship and preparing learners for democratic engagement, focusing on four themes: (1) cultivating informed learners, (2) promoting good citizenship and social cohesion, (3) preparing learners for political engagement, and (4) enhancing critical thinking skills. Additionally, findings may inform policy and practice. Recommendations include enhancing professional development through targeted training programs, ensuring curriculum alignment with national policy frameworks, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among departments, and establishing mechanisms for ongoing program evaluation to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement. These recommendations aim to strengthen compulsory Civic Education implementation in Kabwe District, Zambia, fostering a knowledgeable and engaged citizenry capable of contributing positively to society.

Extended reality for citizen participation: A conceptual framework, systematic review and research agenda

This paper explores the integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), into citizen participation processes, a crucial yet challenging area in urban planning and smart city management. Despite the potential of XR, the existing literature remains scattered and often lacks practical application guidelines, hindering a full understanding of XR's potential to enhance democratic engagement. Through a systematic literature review, this study consolidates existing knowledge with an e-participation theoretical lens, spanning various disciplines, to provide a cohesive analysis of XR's role and potential. The study critically examines the empirical literature and suggests a conceptual framework consisting of several analysis themes: the contextual elements driving the use of XR by stakeholders, the characteristics of the technologies used, and outcomes of the use of XR. Leveraging this framework, we outline six future research directions, emphasizing the need to longitudinally study organizational implications of XR use beyond punctual user studies, extending the use cases to other political areas beyond urban planning, and investigating the creation of new realities as channels for effective and creative participation. The conceptual framework is also translated to a canvas for practitioners for the design of future XR-enabled participation initiatives.

Concept Misformation in the Age of Democratic Anxiety: Recent Temptations and Their Downsides

abstract: Despite Giovanni Sartori’s famous warning, contemporary academia has seen a new bout of conceptual stretching, as evident in the loose, expansive usage of terms such as coup and fascism . This concept creep reflects the normative progress of recent decades, which has ruled out true fascism and deterred full-scale coups. Because these normative advances have induced remaining nefarious actors to pursue their undemocratic goals through formally democratic procedures, ambiguity has blurred conceptual boundaries. The article posits that when examining this gray area, scholars may be tempted to overuse dramatic terms because concern about new threats to democracy has motivated a turn to public intellectualism and democratic engagement. Moreover, the proliferation of social media has fueled stiff competition for public attention, which may have helped to create a penchant for stark warnings. The author argues that the resulting conceptual stretching undermines the clarity and accuracy required for academic scholarship and that such imprecision can also be counterproductive for scholars’ normative concerns. The overuse of dramatic terms risks distorting problem diagnosis, exacerbating polarization, and thus reinforcing the danger facing contemporary democracy, which arises primarily from the specific challenges that illiberal populism poses.

Democratic engagements with negativities in education and public school

In this article, I argue that the neoliberal order and its close link to the notion of educationalisation make education—and public schools more specifically—an instrument for political problem-solving and labour market agendas; this, then, makes it difficult for educators to act like public intellectuals with the freedom to create spaces in which one can think, talk and act in ways that are not framed by dominant and instrumental policy. Inspired by Rancière’s and Mouffe’s political work, psychoanalytical thinking and by means of educational examples that stem from (trans)national policy documents (one from the OECD and two from the Danish Government), I describe and analyse how the neoliberal order, including the notion of educationalisation, frames today’s education and can prevent democratic engagements from being a part of Danish public schools. One of the reasons is the strong focus on producing a productive and skilled labour force that successfully secure national economic growth and deliver what the neoliberal labour market desires. This focus contradicts both educators’ and students’ intellectual freedom on a daily basis, which is (still) regarded as vital to supporting education in general and in public schools in particular. Failure seems inevitable. However, failure can be a success for democracy, meaning that some ‘failures’ must be embraced because they are a condition for a living and flourishing democracy.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF JOURNALISM IN THE POLITICAL ADVOCACY OF HEALTH POLICY IN INDONESIA?

In this short commentary article, the complex association between journalism, health policy, and political campaigning in Indonesia is explained, in need of more scholarly expansion. Within those limitations, the paper does alert to the necessary function journalism serves intrinsic to the public discourse that drives health policy recommendations, as well as noting how this has been perverted by misinformation and dwindling faith in the media. The article examines how journalism (including digital and social media) has shaped health policy advocacy and public opinion and highlights the role of the media in health communication campaigns and policy reform. Through scrutiny of its role in health policy advocacy, with a broader look at how journalism roles have shifted over time. In this article, the author demonstrated that journalism is a bridge between health policy experts and the public, enabling a more informed democratic engagement with health policy. These conclusions highlight the need to build a nexus between democratic journalism and health policy advocacy for public health priorities in Indonesia. Keywords: health policy, journalism, political campaign

The OBR and the fragilities, complexities and promise of technocratic economic governance

AbstractThis contribution explores how technocratic economic governance rests on underlying principles of political economy—normatively informed judgements about how the economy and policy operate. It shines light on how fiscal councils such as the OBR can open up (or close down) policy possibilities through the way they narrate economic crises, the trajectory of the economy and the fiscal stance. Noting the epistemic limits of technocracy, it shows how fiscal forecasting is based on a presumed knowability and legibility of the economy and the fiscal stance looking years or decades ahead—a questionable and problematic presumption. It highlights increasing tensions between expert oversight and populist and ‘post truth’ politics within Britain’s economic governance regime since Brexit. The Office provides oversight, and a form of accountability for government policy, and is itself accountable to parliament. Nevertheless, many of its key and consequential assumptions are obscured from democratic debate and oversight. The Office, and UK economic governance, would benefit from more robust mechanisms of democratic engagement and deliberation. Under-developed democratic accountability is a source of crucial fragility for technocratic economic governance. The piece ends by exploring the scope of OBR fiscal assessment of climate change and its costs—underlining the ‘politics of economic method’ and how subterranean methodological techniques in putting OBR economic ideas into practice can be of first-order political and policy significance. They can shape policy possibilities for tackling climate change for decades to come.

The ethics of the everyday: Mauritian morning talk radio as a space for democratic engagement

The ethics of the everyday: Mauritian morning talk radio as a space for democratic engagement