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Research overview

This  research  aims to produce and to disseminate knowledge concerning online political participation in smart cities, within the context of the  data-driven government paradigm expansion. 

It employs state capacity lens to build an analytical framework for examining the technological capabilities required by smart cities’ online political participation initiatives.

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Our approach

The following core principles define our methodology for this research:

a critical perspective on online participation in smart cities, analyzing its implications and potential socio-political impacts and investigating the political economy underlying these initiatives.

the social construction of technology, exploring how technology is shaped by social processes, cultural norms, and political influences, influencing its design, implementation, and impact on society.

a data-driven participation, analyzing the role of data in shaping and facilitating online participation initiatives, including its collection, analysis, and utilization in decision-making processes.

Outcomes and products

The following deliverables are expected this research:

exploratory research, mapping smart cities political participation initiatives (open data)

taxonomy and analytical framework

in-depth case studies and comparative analysis

researchers/practitioners webinar series

Publications

Research Team

We are an interdisciplinary team with backgrounds in research, public policy, and technology

Norbert Kersting

HOST PROFESSOR

Professor’s Chair of Comparative Political Science  with main emphasis on Municipal and Regional Politics at the Institute of Political Science (IFPol) at the University of Münster, assembling of the research center “Urban and Regional Innovation” (URII)

José Carlos Vaz

CHAIR OF BRAZIL CHAIR

Professor of Public Policy Management at the University of São Paulo (Faculty of Arts, Sciences and Humanities). He is Coordinator of GETIP – Group for Studies in Technology and Innovation in Public Administration.

Fernanda Campagnucci

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER

Holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Government from FGV-SP and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Münster. She has led projects in the field of technology and data within civil society and the public sector in Brazil.

Italo Alberto Sousa

PHD Student

Holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of São Paulo and is currently a Ph.D. student in Social Change and Political Participation at USP’s ProMuSPP. He worked as a data scientist at the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency

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About us

The research project Scope – State Capacity in Smart Cities for Online Participation is conducted by the Brazil Chair hosted at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Münster. We are supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education of Brazil (CAPES) and by the Brazil Center of the University of Münster.