Keynote Speaker

Keynote Speaker

Title : Digital Democracy - Part of the Solution or Beginning of a Problem?

Abstract 

Historically, we can observe at least three main motivations to take politics and democratic institutions online: 1) less powerful, less financially potent organizations have the opportunity to be heard just like the big players in politics (equalization thesis), 2) circumventing party politics which is perceived by many as corrupt, a more direct and decentralized democracy can be created, 3) use the competences and intelligence of the crowd to come up with better decisions by the authorities, leading to a better quality of life. The last option seems to be the dominant one currently, while the other two are still looming around but less prominent these days. The set of online tools to achieve either of the three mentioned goals of taking politics digital has certainly increased and is more sophisticated nowadays. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a role here as well. This trend will be demonstrated by looking at an index capturing digital democracy in around thirty countries to set the stage for this talk.

The advantages and potential pitfalls regarding the design and use of digital democracy tools are then exemplified with examples from online petitions, voting advice applications and internet voting. For each of them there will be a discussion in what way AI and machine learning can help to turn such applications more efficient, not the least for their administrators, but also how they pose a threat once they are full integrated.

Short bio

As of 1 April 2017 I am working as a professor at Ritsumeikan University, Japan, in the College of Information Science and Engineering while keeping some projects as a principle investigator at the Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA), University of Zurich, Switzerland. At Ritsumeikan University I am also running the Digital Governance Systems Lab (since April 2024). In this dual position I  teach and do interdisciplinary research in several domains of digital governance. I am particularly interested in internet based platforms and tools for citizens (e-participation) as well as public administrations (e-government) enhancing transparency and deliberation in an information society. From 2007 to 2017 I used to work at the ZDA as a senior researcher and lecturer. Before joining the ZDA I taught and worked as a post-doctoral researcher and lecturer at various universities in Switzerland (ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University of Geneva). Previously, research stays and guest lectures lead me to Hungary (Andrassy University, 2016), Austria (Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, 2015), Poland (PU Cracow, 2013/14), Japan (Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, 2011; Waseda University, Tokyo, 2002/2003), and the USA (University of Pittsburgh, PA, 1999/2000). For the academic year 2024/2025 I was selected guest professor at the University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria.