We investigated the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT, namely mobile phones) in support of citizen agency and its potential in calling for authorities’ accountability. We focused on Eastern Africa and we used a mixed methodology, which allowed us to explore the current uses of ICT to strengthen accountability and to forecast the growth of mobile phones’ adaption in that re...

Researchers have identified a range of motives for participation in citizen science projects, but have not investigated their relative efficacy in encouraging initial participation. We report on an experiment (N=36,513) that compared the response to emails designed to appeal to four different motives for participation. We found that the messages appealing to the possibility of contributing to s...

This study examines the collective use of the electronic information and communication channels and their impact on citizen participation for public discourse. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, we investigate public communication channels available for government service provision in a large metropolis in China. Specifically, four electronic communication channels are an...

This paper develops an organization design-oriented conceptual model of scientific knowledge production through citizen science virtual organizations. Citizen science is a form of organization design for collaborative scientific research involving scientists and volunteers, for which Internet-based modes of participation enable massive virtual collaboration by thousands of members of the public...

This poster presents initial findings from a dissertation pilot study on a citizen science project involving the public with scientists in collaborative research. The goal for the pilot study was familiarity with the contextual factors that influence citizen science project design, and in turn, observing how the design choices contribute to the project’s knowledge creation and participation out...

ICT has been employed in various areas, including eParticipation to support citizen participation and achieve democracy ideal. Trust as a social behavior can be used as a method to model preferences and facilitate better participation and interaction in a decision making within a group of decision makers. In this paper we present literatures survey related to eParticipation and trust in compute...

This study aims to explore Turkish citizen-consumers' understanding of and reactions to censorship of websites in Turkey by using in-depth interviews and online ethnography. In an environment where sites such as YouTube and others are increasingly being banned, the citizen-consumers' macro-level understanding is that such censorship is part of a wider ideological plan and their micro-level unde...

The goal of this project is to promote Lyme disease prevention and to cultivate an interest in science through a citizen-science project coordinated by researchers at a public university and teachers at rural high schools. The lesson plan is designed to increase student interest in pursuing a science career through participation in an authentic research experience, utilizing a topic that has im...

Citizens have long contributed to scientific research about the environment through volunteer environmental monitoring programs. Their participation has also resulted in outcomes for themselves, their communities, and the environment. This research synthesizes 35 peer-reviewed journal articles that reported such outcomes through 2012. This collection of articles was derived from a pool of 436 p...

Citizen participation in neighbourhood development is one way to promote public health and contribute to the well-being of individuals. However, some people participate while others do not. This study examines the individual characteristics of people who during the past 2 years have participated in a neighbourhood development process compared with potential and non-participants. Socio-demograph...