ICT strategies of democratic intermediaries: A view on the political system in the digital age

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Edwards, Arthur^a

Affiliations: [a] Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, Room M8-25, 3000 DR Rotterdam. Tel.: +31 10 4082395; Fax: +31 10 4089099; E-mail: Edwards@fsw.eur.nl

Abstract: A conceptual framework is proposed for discussing the ICT strategies of intermediaries and their effects on democratic intermediation. The main line of reasoning is that both 'disintermediation' and 're-intermediation' have to be related to specific models of democracy and styles of citizenship. The linkage strategies of preference intermediaries, the supportive strategies of information intermediaries and the facilitative strategies of interaction intermediaries are discussed. The quality of democracy would be dependent on the interplay between different democratic practices, types of citizenship and intermediaries.

Keywords: E-democracy, intermediaries, disintermediation, ICT strategies

DOI: 10.3233/IP-2006-0093

Journal: Information Polity, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 163-176, 2006