The citizen in the community, the citizen in society
Web 2.0 has changed the perception of the network. The Internet has become a place of different kinds of activity, including civil and political. Can I therefore venture to say that independent, virtual communities, may prove to be an emanation of the idea of civil society, recognized in time to the public?
Source: www.sxc.hu
Society, or civil society?
It is difficult to give one and the final definition of civil society. As it usually happens in science, for many, many years running this subject in a lively discussion. Leaving aside the detail of these considerations, one can assume that their common feature is to highlight the voluntary activity of representatives of civil society based on cooperation aimed at achieving the target in advance without the participation in the process of government. Following this reasoning, it is logical that politicians should not ignore the fact that the emergence of such communities. This follows from the simple fact - if the community can cope quite well alone, then why the politicians?
Let us contemplate the silence, waiting for voices
The case, however, is much more complicated. Please note that we live in a democracy, which consequently forces the exchange of information and communication between social groups and institutions and vice versa. In a sense, formed the seeds of civil society can be regarded as a specific social groups, so sooner or later, relations between them, and politicians seem to be inevitable. The problem, which is evident on this occasion, the reluctance on the part of a large part of Polish political elites to such contacts. Finally, if the elite reaches of normal citizens, in the opinion of some could lose
signs of elitism. To lose them, however, should first have them.
Such reasoning could lead to many complications and misunderstandings. As members of civil society to unite, to indicate a willingness to act in a particular case, it means that this thing exists. If the politicians pretend that they do not notice it, they can simply shoot himself in the foot. In the end, whether it is worthwhile to vote for someone who does not understand and would rather not try to understand issues relevant to us? The answer I think it raises itself.
Independence there
Online Communities are grouped around a wide variety of issues, more or less essential to the functioning of state and society in real terms. However, there are grassroots initiatives, demonstrating the tendency for the implementation of roles, known from the practice of grouping the categories described are characteristic of civil society in public spaces. They are characterized by lack of probable links with media corporations, as well as other institutions of corporate or related with the state authorities. In short - they are independent.
Source: www.sxc.hu
Several times one voice
One of them is a community service www.jednymglosem.pl . Running a site in the browser bar at the top we can see the following message: "Politicians are among us - the time they finally choose." Slogan, although not very clever, but it is quite brave. This suggests that the community gathered around jednymglosem.pl, sooner or later, the effects of online activities, will seek to translate the real reality. So far, it seems that pretty soon it will not happen.
The service takes a few discussions on political, attempts are implementing various initiatives, there are several bloggers who are trying to promote their views. However, looking for clout, does not seem to ever make it large enough to be able to actually do something. In the same within the community, there are various mikropodziały jednymglosem.pl known, moreover, the policy on a daily basis (for example, conservatives vs. liberals.) The occurrence of these and similar phenomena to the conclusion żeraczej such an idea does not become a future alternative to NGO's or political parties.
With our class to our parliament
Another project likely to pursue projects constituting civil society is www.n-parlament.pl . Title necessarily associated with our-Klasa.pl, or service, which no one in Poland, probably does not need to submit. From our-parlament.pl, however, is a little different. Service so far, unfortunately, has not earned a stunning success, which of course can be explained in many different ways. The question is whether in future this may change?
... er-MP?
Our-parlament.pl, as the name suggests, is trying to implement the ideas of participation and active citizenship through the act as e-minister in a virtual parliament. So far, the idea was not entirely taken up by the Internet.
Interesting and effective form of generating interest to them was the opportunity to ask specific questions to the part of politicians involved in recent eurokampanii. Interestingly, several of them (including Rakoczy Stanislaw Jerzy Szmajdzinski, Janusz Zemke) replied to the interesting Internet issues, which, in the face of a small interest in the Polish elite political opinions and attitudes of Internet users should be considered as a sign pozytwną.
Perhaps our real-parlament.pl has the potential to create a community gathering at the nationals on the one hand, on the other part of politicians willing to dialogue with voters. Perhaps this does not mean, however, immediately said yes.
Diet under the magnifying glass
Another project that seems to be still in the initial phase of development is www.sejmometr.pl . Is a service of "watch dog", seeking to realize the concept of civic control over their representative electorate MPs. The idea does not seem new, but used properly, could prove as a useful tool for citizens facing a dilemma on whom to vote again. But the problem lies in the fact that a large part of Polish society of such a dilemma, just do not know. As you can see, this is clearly reflected in the behavior and activity on the network.
In a community as in society?
The above examples are from the perspective of civil society, involving an active part in public life, can be viewed both positively and negatively. The fact that the fact something is happening. On the other hand you can not see, however, be more active, indicating the possibility of qualitative change in social and political life, caused by these and similar phenomena. So I think that the issue of active citizenship and civil society structures in the context of virtual communities may look different, but if the subject of a similar analysis will be seen makrozbiorowości functioning, such as Facebook, Goldenline, or even our-Klasa.pl.
Civil society is in a sense created by the group
specialized, such as experts working in NGO's, however, is largely made up of ordinary people. Most of them will be and where everyone, and not where a few. They need to be looked at carefully so. Civil society in Poland, however, should continue to build gradually, rather than at a rate similar to highways.
Source: www.sxc.hu
Germany is already on it for a long time contemplate
http://www.scholar-online.pl/viewpage.php?page_id=25&c_start=830 # c11641
in the UK and the U.S. such brilliantly crazy.
eg http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
and what does http://www.mysociety.org/
and everything that makes Sunlight Foundation http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/
most of such sites I lack clarity on who and what created it. Obi these foundations very clearly and consistently work on their credibility. And this example sejmometr, although interestingly conceived, immediately raises questions.
It occurs to me even the idea of so-called. "Votingu smart." that there were many during the recent elections. http://www.kandydaci2009.pl lighter and some other constituency.
interesting about it for what they can do the rulers he was last on the blog: http://stempniaked.blogspot.com/2009/06/twoj-rzad-na-twitterze-i-facebooku-yes.html
thanks for the interesting post
The fact is that the very idea of "smart votingu" occur widely during the last election (and its derivative). The question how to check? Browsed a little survey completed in 2009 and the site Candidates perfect example: Mariusz Ciszak candidate, as it is to connect with voters, of course, awarded through the website "and what effect: http://www.mariuszciszak.pl/ just a click away. I missed a little step up share incentives to go to elections during the electoral silence is the most critical days. About this example: State agencies may use the network with examples of well and we wrote on our blog.
I disagree that there was a wide, there was more than "a little more" because even people heavily "zinternetyzowani" or did not know where to look, or even did not know that something exists. Very weak advertising and not necessarily a decent performance (for example, each side may be criticized for language problems and exhaustive answers to the questions), and have mercy on all candidates to fill the form - laughter in the courtroom, but for me it is a sign of how candidates and candidates respect me - a person selects.
Maybe ill stated, "a" compared to what we had before. As for the people "firmly zinternetyzowani" hard to say. As for me and for my friends there were no problems, but that's no indicator. You need to study how it resulted in the knowledge that among Internet users. As for the rest I think I agree. I gave an example of such a flower is so much more.