Online participation processes are not only one of the most important research topics of the DIID, but have also been conducted here regularly since its foundation. In order to be on the cutting edge of technology, the DIID now uses adhocracy+, an open source software. It is primarily developed by Liquid Democracy e.V. and enables the simple creation and implementation of participation processes.
In cooperation with Liquid Democracy e.V., the DIID implemented this software on the servers of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and developed a connection to the login system of the university, so that a login via the university ID is possible.
First and foremost, the DIID has set up the platform dialog@hhu, on which participation procedures at and for the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf will take place. A first procedure regarding the reform of the study programs at the Institute of Social Sciences will start soon. In addition, other platforms can be installed and used. This has already happened with meinfernsehen2021. There, the DIID is conducting a participation procedure on the future of public television in cooperation with the Grimme Institute and the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
On the one hand, the DIID is now able to create and carry out participation processes quickly and easily, thus expanding its practical expertise. On the other hand, the platforms and the respective participation procedures themselves can be understood as attractive objects of research, since they can be structured, designed and evaluated according to one’s own ideas. Therefore, this also contributes to DIID’s research on the opportunities and risks of digitization for civic participation.
Ansprechpartner
Jonathan Seim
DIID-Team, Philosophy
Jonathan Seim studied political science and philosophy at Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf and at the University of the West of Scotland. As a research assistant at DIID, he is responsible for the coordination of the institute. He is also a research assistant in the Digital Ethics project at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS). Jonathan Seim’s position is financed by project funds from the Mercator Foundation. His research focuses on moral philosophy and political philosophy, in particular democratic theory.
His dissertation deals with democratic participation rights in the context of citizen participation procedures. Although a correct allocation of participation rights is of fundamental importance for the legitimacy of those procedures, this question is not sufficiently addressed in politics or science. The aim of the dissertation project is to develop criteria for the allocation of participation rights in the context of consultative citizen participation procedures and guidance for the political practice. As a member of the DIID he is interested in requierements of legitimacy of online-participation.