EU Dev Days 2011: can social networks empower democracy?
Are social networks the new voices and tools of democracy?
From the election of President Obama in 2008 to the explosion of the ‘Arab Spring’ protests in 2010, social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have revolutionised citizen-led movements. Moreover, they are also increasingly useful tools in pressing for good governance, respect of the rule of law, and democracy. As their relevance increases, how should we define and incorporate their role in development? And how can they be used to support the role of media in developing countries in ensuring the accountability of governments?
This year’s European Development Days – Europe’s premier forum on international affairs and development cooperation – will address these questions and seek to develop a coherent policy for the inclusion of social media in development policy.
You can follow all the debates live on 15-16 December, join the EDD community, and get comprehensive information on the topic of development at the EDD11 website (http://eudevdays.eu/). Join the discussion on this topic and others on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EUDevDays) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/eudevdays).
From the election of President Obama in 2008 to the explosion of the ‘Arab Spring’ protests in 2010, social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have revolutionised citizen-led movements. Moreover, they are also increasingly useful tools in pressing for good governance, respect of the rule of law, and democracy. As their relevance increases, how should we define and incorporate their role in development? And how can they be used to support the role of media in developing countries in ensuring the accountability of governments?
This year’s European Development Days – Europe’s premier forum on international affairs and development cooperation – will address these questions and seek to develop a coherent policy for the inclusion of social media in development policy.
You can follow all the debates live on 15-16 December, join the EDD community, and get comprehensive information on the topic of development at the EDD11 website (http://eudevdays.eu/). Join the discussion on this topic and others on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EUDevDays) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/eudevdays).