eParticipation Research: A Longitudinal Overview

This paper provides an update of the existing eParticipation research state of the art, and a longitudinal analysis of the development of the eParticipation field based on a shared framework of analysis. Drawing on a literature search covering the period from April 2006 to March 2011 included, 123 articles are identified, analysed and classified within the categories of eParticipation actors, activities, contextual factors, effects, and evaluation. Findings show that the field has a high level of dynamism, as focuses on eParticipation activities, contextual factors and effects have shifted in time, sometimes in counterintuitive directions. Drawing on the analysis, the conclusion section provides inputs for a research agenda. These include the need to move beyond a technological perspective, and encouraging the ongoing shift of research focus from government to citizens and other stakeholders.