INNOVADE: INNOVAtive DEmocracy Through Digitalisation

INNOVADE is a three-year long interdisciplinary research project involving eleven European partners, including Paderborn University’s Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group.

Digital transformation of democracy has become an irreversible process. Yet, digital democracy platforms bear risks and challenges. INNOVADE contributes to policymakers, citizens and researchers' better understanding of digital democracy dynamics. Leveraging existing knowledge, INNOVADE investigates recent developments in e- participation solutions. To advance digital democracy, INNOVADE will a) build an interdisciplinary knowledge base on digital democracy to improve knowledge on the current state of the art, future trends, and emerging next practices; b) help decisionmakers better understand frameworks, structures and settings required for inclusive digital governance; c) provide a toolkit that allows governments to make informed decisions on how to advance the transition to optimum digital democracies; d) build a “Digital Democracy App” in conformance with the principles of data protection, data security, and ethics; and finally e) develop a conceptual framework, platform and the educational materials needed for democratising access to digital tools for citizens across different backgrounds.

The role of the Paderborn University research team led by Prof. Christian Fuchs is to conduct foundational theoretical research and empirical social research about digital democracy.