View Thread > Internet & Society > Internet & Society Conference > Relevancy of Government to Individuals
This December, the Berkman Center and some friends are hosting the next in our series of Internet & Society conferences. A placeholder site is here:
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/is2k4/index.html
This year, we're taking a skeptical look at whether the Internet is transforming politics. We're interested in global themes, in campaigns of all sorts and all levels, and not just the US presidential election.
We'd love your help in pulling together the panels and discussions. What would be most helpful at this stage is to come up with the hardest, most interesting questions that might serve as the organizing principle for a specific panel or discussion session on the primary day of the conference, December 10, 2004. An example might be: 'Are campaigns more effective at engaging young people in campaigns by using Internet technologies?' Give us a better one.
Internet technologies might be accessible for all of us, but that means nothing if people are not interested in what is going on around, not only nationally but internationally. People should be aware that as long as they realize the utmost importance that governments should be accountable to them, nothing will change. Perhaps IT also may help to this by ensuring governmental information disclosure, enhancing transparency. Hence, one should first attack the illness itself: apathy.
Perhaps the real issue is not apathy but a belief that government is irrelevant to everyday individual life. Does the Internet connect us more to each other as individuals obviating the role of government in public perception even further?
are critical for national and international success that will establish peace and prosperity. Dont we all vote for peace and prosperity plus a rising standart of living? So monitoring is essential and tranparency is a requirment. What are the tools and methodologies that needs to be applied and standartized is my question?