Internet and Democracy

Despite rapid growth and extended efforts on the part of international organizations, development agencies, and private investors to reach a broader audience, the vast majority of the world does not have effective Internet access. Alternatively, mobile telephones continue to proliferate, and already boast twice the users. Have we made any progress, is the future mobile, and what has come of the World Summit on the Information Society?

Readings

The Internet and Civic Crisis

• Josh Goldstein and Juliana Rotich, Digitally Networked Technology in Kenya's 2007-2008 Post-Election Crisis, available here.

The Internet and Government At Odds

• Bruce Etling and John Kelly, Mapping Iran's Online Public, available here.

The Internet and Government Together

• Executive Summary for Urs Gasser's "Three Case Studies From Switzerland" available here.

Additional Resources

• Martus
• Ushahidi
• Infodev
• Statistics
• ITU stats
• ITU-D
• ITU's expensive publication
• Rosling on Development
• Global Voices
• Bridges.org's Real Access / Real Impact criteria for ICT access

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• Zephyr Teachout looks at Eastern Europe, the Internet and Politics, featuring Andy Ignatov
• Ethan Z on Mobiles and activism

Additional Resources From Class/Discussion

• Switzerland:Europe's heart of darkness?
• Electronic Frontier Foundation:Search FOIA Documents
• Helios Voting:Elections YOU can audit
• Hacking Democracy: An In Depth Analysis of the ES&S Voting Systems
• Planning to E-Vote? Read This First
• British University Offers Master's Degree in Facebook
• Citizen Media Law Project: First Twitter Libel Suit, Starring Courtney Love

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