RC 10 - Electronic Democracy

Just published :
KERSTING N. (ed.), Electronic Democracy, Barbara Budrich Publishers, "The World of Political Science" Series, July 2012.

The timely book takes stock of the state of the art and future of electronic democracy, exploring the history and potential of e-democracy in global perspective. Analysing the digital divide, the role of the internet as a tool for political mobilisation, internet Voting and Voting Advice Applications, and other phenomena, this volume critically engages with the hope for more transparency and political participation through e-democracy.

The editor:
Prof. Dr. Norbert Kersting,
Department of Political Science, University of Münster, Germany

Target groups:
Undergraduates, postgraduates, and post-docs in Political Science, democracy, public administration, governance, International Relations, sociology

Keywords:
electronic democracy, e-voting, social media

Subject area:
Political Science, democracy, public administration, governance, International Relations, sociology

Summary
Foreword Preface

1. The Future of Electronic democracy Norbert Kersting

2. Political mobilization and social networks. The example of the Arab spring Pippa Norris

3. Social media Jason Abbott

4. Electronic political campaigning Andrea Römmele

5. Open government and open data Stephanie Wojcik

6. Electronic voting Michael Alvarez and Thad Hall

7. Voting Advice Applications Andreas Ladner and Jan Fivaz

6 Contents Index Notes on the Contributors

--> On the publisher's website

Princeton University Press, February 2010, 256 p.
ISBN: 978-1-4008-3408-2
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8641.html

Since the 2000 presidential election, the United States has been embroiled in debates about electronic voting. Critics say the new technologies invite tampering and fraud. Advocates say they enhance the accuracy of vote counts and make casting ballots easier and ultimately foster greater political participation. Electronic Elections cuts through the media spin to assess the advantages and risks associated with different ways of casting ballots and shows how e-voting can be the future of American democracy.

Elections by nature are fraught with risk. Michael Alvarez and Thad Hall fully examine the range of past methods and the new technologies that have been created to try to minimize risk and accurately reflect the will of voters. Drawing upon a wealth of new data on how different kinds of electronic voting machines have performed in recent elections nationwide, they evaluate the security issues that have been the subject of so much media attention, and examine the impacts the new computer-based solutions is having on voter participation. Alvarez and Hall explain why the benefits of e-voting can outweigh the challenges, and they argue that media coverage of the new technologies has emphasized their problems while virtually ignoring their enormous potential for empowering more citizens to vote. The authors also offer ways to improve voting technologies and to develop more effective means of implementing and evaluating these systems.

Electronic Elections makes a case for how e-voting can work in the United States, showing why making it work right is essential to the future vibrancy of the democratic process.

R. Michael Alvarez is professor of political science at the California Institute of Technology. Thad E. Hall is associate professor of political science and research fellow at the Institute of Public and International Affairs at the University of Utah. They are the authors of Point, Click, and Vote.

Table of Contents
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii
PREFACE ix
CHAPTER 1: What This Book Is About 1
CHAPTER 2: Paper Problems, Electronic Promises 12
CHAPTER 3: Criticisms of Electronic Voting 30
CHAPTER 4: The Frame Game 50
CHAPTER 5: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back 71
CHAPTER 6: The Performance of the Machines 100
CHAPTER 7: Public Acceptance of Electronic Voting 133
CHAPTER 8: A New Paradigm for Assessing Voting Technologies 156
CHAPTER 9: Conclusion 178
NOTES 191
BIBLIOGRAPHY 207
INDEX 217