Citizenship and local development for the participation and digital governance of public administration : Innovative experiences in Southern EU Member States

CITIZENSHIP AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PARTICIPATION AND DIGITAL GOVERNANCE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Inno a i e expe iences in Sou he n EU Membe S a es INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE Special Edi ion “(Re)c ea ing public sphe e, ci ic cul u e and ci ic engagemen : public se ice media s. online social ne wo ks”. ABSTRACT Cybe space has in oduced new habi s and ela ionships in o adi ional o ms o social in e cou se and mode n symbolic p ac ices and ep esen a ions. The o ma ion o a new elepolis cons i u es he main challenge o be o e come by communica ion esea che s. The b eaking up o he in e nal and ex e nal bounda ies o ci ies and e i o ies, and he me ging oge he and con usion o public and p i a e spaces, which ha e always been adi ionally sepa a ed in mode n poli ical discou se and communica ion, indica es no only new cul u al ends in human o ganiza ion and socializa ion, bu also, h ough he a ious elec onic o ms o in e ac ion and in o ma ion exchange, he cons i u ion o a new space o poli ical iden i y and pa icipa ion. The e o e, he dynamics o capi alis globaliza ion ha e con ibu ed o he c ea ion o an u ban spa iali y depending on ne wo ks ha ha e no de ined e i o y, bo de s, o e i o ial loca ions wi h an in ense concen a ion o esou ces. These dynamics, in ac , a e no o ally new. The di e ence oday is, wi hou doub , he in ensi y, complexi y and global each o hese ne wo ks, as well as hei use and owne ship by local go e nmen s, social mo emen s and ac i e ci izenship. As a esul , in he cu en p ocess o capi alis globaliza ion, he new con igu a ions gene a ed in he economic and echnological sphe e a ec he poli ical le el and he issue o go e nance. In his con ex , in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies a e p esen ed as li le explo ed ools o go e nance, and economic and cul u al de elopmen , o he cons uc ion o new models o pa ne ship and pa icipa o y ci izenship. Concep s like digi al go e nance e e o new ways o in e ac ion be ween ci izens and go e nmen s, and new concep s o u ban policy using elec onic means. As he main u u e challenge o he social and economic de elopmen o he common space o he Eu opean Union, his is how he Eu opean Commission iden i ies he a icula ion o pa icipa ion-based local poli ics gea ed o a new go e nance ha has a a ou able impac on communi a ian de elopmen p ocesses, om a i m s andpoin o pa icipa o y and plu al democ acy in he cul u al e a, as a esou ce ha an icipa es inno a i e ways o ci izenship. The gene al aim is o s udy how hese new cul u al p ac ices a e ma e ializing and he local de elopmen p ocesses ha de ine he cu en a ionales o public space cons uc ion h ough new in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies. In his a cle, se e al inno a i e expe iences in Sou he n EU Membe S a es a e analyzed, p esen ing he p elimina y discussion abou he concep ual basis o a new s a egic ision o social mo emen s ha ies o explo e new local o ms o cul u al au onomy o ci izens h ough he app op ia ion o new in o ma ion echnologies, in a social esea ch applied o ICTs and ci izen pa icipa ion. This s udy poin s o a mo e e icien use o his po en ial by social mo emen s e sus i s unde u iliza ion by local adminis a ions and hi d sec o o ganiza ions. KEYWORDS Digi al Ci izenship/ Elec onic Go e nmen / Elec onic Public Adminis a ion/In o ma ion Socie y/ Local De elopmen /Cybe demc acy in sou he n EU/Inno a i e expe iences/ICT´s and ci izen pa icipa ion I. INTRODUCTION The in ensi e globaliza ion p ocesses o he las hi d o he 20 h cen u y ha e decisi ely a ec ed he con igu a ion o all ha is local. This glocaliza ion ou lines a scena io in which he local is a ec ed by global low and concen a ion dynamics in which elecommunica ion ne wo ks play a decisi e ole. In he wo ds o Saskia Sassen (2003), hese dynamics ha e con ibu ed o p oducing an u ban spa iali y depending on ne wo ks ha ha e no de ined e i o y, bo de s, o e i o ial loca ions wi h an in ense concen a ion o esou ces. These dynamics a e an exclusi e ea u e o ou his o ical pe iod; since he encyclopedic wo k o Lewis Mum o d (Technics and Ci iliza ion), he in luence o echniques and machines on u ban li e has been analyzed. The cu en p ocess’ new ea u e lies in he in ensi y, complexi y and global each o hese ne wo ks, as well as hei use and app op ia ion by b oad sec o s o ci il socie y, which in o he his o ical pe iods would ha e been excluded om he use o echnology. In hei s udies on he new ela ionships be ween he local and he global, Jo di Bo ja and Manuel Cas ells (1997) sugges ed a double p ocess o analysis. While ci ies posi ion hemsel es in he global economy, a he same ime hey should in eg a e and s uc u e hei local socie y. This in eg a ion depends on he implemen a ion o in ensi e p ocesses o poli ical democ a iza ion, adminis a i e decen aliza ion and ci izen pa icipa ion in municipal managemen . Using he e minology o hese au ho s, i is necessa y o in e ela e he a ionales o he space o lows wi h he co esponding a ionales o he spaces o places; ha is, accessing ci cui s o capi al accumula ion, ma ke in eg a ion and eo ganiza ion o indus ial p oduc ion (space o lows), while a he same ime designing new e i o ial o ms o o ganizing ci izens’ daily li es and expe iences (space o places). In he same way as Michel de Ce eau alked abou he in en ion o daily li e many decades ago, nowadays i is necessa y o ein en i , based on he same humanis in e p e a ion, bu in a new echnological, economic and poli ical con ex . The econ igu a ions ha ake place in he economic and echnological sphe es a ec , on a poli ical le el, he ques ion o go e nance. In he 1970s, his e m e e ed o he S a e’s ole in ma e s such as adminis a i e e iciency and, in a b oad sense, o i s managemen capaci y. Nowadays, go e nance inco po a es o he a iables, such as s a e in e ac ion wi h ci il socie y and he ma ke place. I has been p ecisely he c isis o go e nance and con idence in municipali ies and local adminis a ions ha has a ou ed he implemen a ion o di e en pa icipa o y and democ a ic egene a ion ini ia i es. In his con ex , in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies appea as (insu icien ly explo ed) ools o go e nance, socio-economic and cul u al de elopmen , and cons uc ion o new suppo i e and pa icipa o y ci izenship models. Te ms like ci izen ne wo ks, elec onic go e nmen and digi al ci ies e e o new o ms o in e ac ion be ween ci izens and local au ho i ies, o new concep s o u ban policy, using digi al means. Along hese lines, one o he cen al deba es e ol ing a ound he Eu opean In o ma ion Socie y is he p o isional unc ion o social capi al p o ided by he new media, as expounded by communi y in o ma ics o s udies on con idence and good go e nmen in he digi al e a. Acco ding o Van Ba el/Punie/Tuami, he new in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies (NICTs) play an inc easingly mo e impo an ole in local de elopmen because o hei capaci y o mobilize ma e ial esou ces, in o ma ion and knowledge. I social capi al, as s a ed by Pu nam, can be de ined as one o he cha ac e is ics o any social o ganiza ion based on co-ope a ion o mu ual bene i , ci izen con idence and pa icipa ion, and ules o ecip oci y, he p oblem o pa icipa ion in new echnologies is cu en ly a s a egic challenge ha obliges social o ganiza ions o a icula e al e na i e co-ope a ion and collec i e ac ion ne wo ks, ans o ming he disposi ion o social capi al in o “in e connec ed social capi al” (Van Ba el, 2003). Ne e heless, e en acknowledging some o he disco e ies o Pu nam conce ning he p oblem being add essed he e, abo e all o he s udy o p ocesses o social change in he ield o communica ion, his concep o social ne wo ks, o ms o go e nmen and sel -o ganiza ion o local communi ies ends o conside powe ela ionships apa , abo e all in he poli ical and economic con ex , add essing all o ms o exchange and associa ion om a pe sonal de ini ion o he Neoclassical pa adigm o Poli ical Economy, which, in he manne o a black box, p esides his analysis o social links. As P o . Na a o has been igh o c i icize, he discou se on social capi al ies, on p inciple, o eplace he analysis o powe be ween classes, aces and sexes, and i s consequences in e ms o public policies, by an ins umen al eading o social ela ions a a ime when, as Yúdice has c i icized, cul u e i sel has become a esou ce o economic de elopmen . Along hese lines, i is essen ial o shi om a “capi alized” app aisal o inno a ion p ocesses o a s uc u al ision o he p ocess o social app op ia ion o new echnologies, especially i he egions in ques ion a e pe iphe al o unde de eloped, as is he case o Andalusia in Sou he n Eu ope. II. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE INFORMATION SOCIETY IN ANDALUSIA Sec o ial s udies conduc ed in he mos impo an egion o Sou he n Eu ope and he Common Ma ke con i m he exis ence o s uc u al ailu es and p oblems o in eg a ion o new echnologies ha con adic he democ a izing discou se o he Commission on he u u e o Eu ope and he in eg a ion in he Knowledge Socie y, om he s andpoin o i s con ibu ion o egional and local de elopmen in a ou o an In o ma ion Socie y o All. In he speci ic case o Andalusia, he dis ance wi h espec o na ional and Eu opean a e ages has widened o e he las ew yea s, ein o cing mechanisms and a ionales o social and economic exclusion, bo h indi idually and e i o ially speaking, depic ing a landscape o small echnological and inancial a chipelagos and a eas in eg a ed in o he global sys em in condi ions o clea dependency and subo dina e con e gence, in acco dance wi h ansna ional economic in e es s, which ep oduces di usionis poli ical dynamics cen ed on he consump ion o new in o ma ion echnologies (NICTs) and di e en o ms o echnological dissemina ion o knowledge. The dominance o his poli ical-economic a ionale esul s in media ion models ha impede he explo a ion o c ea i e and po en ially libe a ing uses o digi al ne wo ks, o he poin o de ining Andalusian ci izens as clien s o me e consume s o new echnological de ices and equipmen , no ing nume ous con adic ions be ween he public discou se and he e ec i e eali y as ega ds egional adap a ion o he In o ma ion Socie y; like, o ins ance, he limi ed de elopmen o policies gea ed o boos ing he use o ee so wa e, indica ing he c ea ion o a dynamic co po a e sec o e ol ing a ound new echnologies (Guadalinex p ojec ), o he appeal o he Thi d Sec o and he scan o nonexis en pa icipa ion o ci il socie y in he de ini ion o public policies add essing he ma e in ques ion (Andalucía Comp omiso Digi al), wi hou men ioning he insu icien de elopmen o elec onic adminis a ion om he s andpoin o ci izens’ igh s and public go e nmen . F om a numbe o analyses conduc ed on he s uc u e o he in o ma ion economy in Andalusia (Román/Bueno, 2004), i is possible o no e, along he same lines, he pe sis ence o delays, inequali ies and conside able imbalances ha end o ein o ce hemsel es as a esul o he implemen a ion o digi al media applica ion policies inspi ed by a adi ional de elopmen model which cu en ly – owing o he new capi alis c isis – also highligh s he lack o ele ancy o his public policy by ep oducing an economic s uc u e his o ically de ined by: - low le els o p oduc ion, employmen and income; - he weak o ganiza ion o he economic ab ic because o p oduc i e specializa ion and concen a ion; - an insu icien g ow h a e; - an in ensi e exploi a ion o na u al esou ces and de e io a ion o he egional en i onmen ; - a low-quali ied wo k o ce and an insu icien en ep eneu ial cul u e; - and a s ong economic dependence. In his amewo k, he egional bid o inno a ion and knowledge as pi o al poin s o he p omo ion o a new model o economic and social de elopmen in Andalusia is, a he e y leas , con adic o y and incon enien , since i ollows p inciples and public s a egies incompa ible wi h he need o s uc u ing and ein o cing au och honous capi al, in cohe ence – as would be expec ed – wi h he ad e se condi ions o in eg a ion in he Common Ma ke . So, he Second Mode niza ion o Andalusia poin s o he need o p omo ing he In o ma ion Socie y as he basis o egional de elopmen and economic p og ess by means o an implemen a ion p ocess o neolibe al policies ha , since he 1990s, ha e been inspi ed by he spi i o he Bangemann Repo , in acco dance wi h a echnoc a ic ision keyed o he p i a iza ion and comme cial e iciency o new echnologies, which, in he Andalusian ins i u ional discou se, has esul ed in a poli ical and economic model ha places he egion in a subo dina e posi ion a he se ice o mo e de eloped cen es, be hey loca ed in Spain o he EU. The bid o implemen ing new in o ma ion echnologies has con ibu ed in his way o s eng hening a egional de elopmen model ha has no hing o do wi h he eali y o economic s uc u e o Andalusia and ha igno es he posi ion and s uc u al p oblems o he p ocess o economic in eg a ion wi hin he EU. In addi ion, “wha eally cha ac e izes he Second Mode niza ion p ojec is he indisc imina e bo owing o p inciples and objec i es belonging o exogenous models, p incipally he No h Ame ican Global In o ma ion Socie y and he Eu opean In o ma ion Socie y” (Mo eno, 2008: 284), enouncing i s own indica o s and policies adap ed o he eal necessi ies o he popula ion. I@landalus. Inicia i as es a égicas pa a el Desa ollo de la Sociedad de la In o mación en Andalucía (2002-2004) [1@landalus. S a egic ini ia i es o de eloping he In o ma ion Socie y in Andalusia (2002-2004)], he Plan de Inno ación y Mode nización de Andalucía (2005) [Andalusian Inno a ion and Mode niza ion Plan (2205)], and he Plan Andalucía Sociedad de la In o mación (2006) [Andalusian In o ma ion Socie y Plan (2006)] all es ablish a u u e ou look o a clea ly dependen and subo dina e na u e. So: “The s a egy and he lines o ac ion o he Andalusian Regional Go e nmen as ega ds he Second Mode niza ion a e mo e an imi a ion o s a e and Eu opean policies han an au onomous answe o he challenges and oppo uni ies accompanying he e olu ion in in o ma ion and communica ion echnologies (…) On he o he hand, his imi a ion also esul s in he assump ion o he chie indica o s es ablished by o icial s a e o Eu opean ins umen s and in es ablishing as an objec i e he compa ison o Andalusian s a is ics wi h he a e age igu es o mo e ad anced EU egions, wi h he consequen loss o au onomy due o he in oduc ion o an exogenous mode niza ion model” (Mo eno, 2008: 9). Along hese lines o p og ess, he la es epo on he cu en s a e o a ai s indica es he dominance o se e al ends and obs acles in he de elopmen o he In o ma ion Socie y in Andalusia: 1. he Andalusian NICTs ma ke and he ole o he companies in he indus y a e ma ginal, weak and dependen ; 2. he low le els o income pe capi a limi access o digi al ne wo ks, esul ing in a s uc u al ba ie o he de elopmen o digi al ci izenship; 3. he implemen a ion o NICTs in he co po a e sec o is low and limi ed; 4. he gene a ion o Andalusian con en is a lo lowe han na ional and Eu opean a e ages; 5. he in es men in R&D&i places he egion in a posi ion o dependency in he de elopmen o In o ma ion Socie y p og ammes, con en and applica ions. Despi e s a e p ocesses o au onomy and poli ical decen aliza ion, as a esul “Andalusia ends up by being a space o accommoda ion and co-o dina ion o he in e es s o sup ana ional ac o s ha con ol he p ocess o elabo a ing and implemen ing public policies gea ed o he In o ma ion and Knowledge Socie y” (Mo eno, 2008: 9). Th ough e ealing da a on he main na ional and EU indica o s o his espec , Andalusia’s in eg a ion model shows ha such a new echnology inco po a ion p ocess has been conduc ed in a subo dina e and dependen way, gene a ing g owing di e gences and asymme ies in he egion’s hin e land. “The objec i ised p esen a ion o a de eloped and mode nized Andalusia, on he same oo ing as he es o he Spanish and Eu opean egions, and he designa ion o socio-cul u al aspec s as he main obs acle o comple ing he Second Mode niza ion, is an a emp – exp essed h ough he discou se – a esol ing (silencing) one o he socio-poli ical p oblems a he e y oo o he Second Mode niza ion p ojec : he s uc u al de iciencies o he Andalusian eali y” (Mo eno, 2008: 279), and which, in some way, cha ac e ize he dispa a e de elopmen o he In o ma ion Socie y in Sou he n Eu ope. The bid o changing he men ali y o he Andalusian popula ion ends up being a so o in e ed media ion by which he s uc u al o objec i e condi ions – he chie obs acle in he p ocess o mode niza ion and e i o ial de elopmen – a e inden i ied as a gua an ee and ac o o social change, while he subjec i e ac o – adi ional Andalusian cul u e – is shown as he cause o he unde de elopmen o he In o ma ion Socie y. “Wi h his pano ama, he e e ences ha we ind in his discou se bo h o ci izen pa icipa ion and o he consensus be ween he ac o s comp ising Andalusian socie y, who will ha e o collabo a e so as o each he ixed objec i es, begin o make sense (…) In his way, he idea is o ein o ce he endange ed consensus based on a new pac be ween ci izens, en e p ise and poli ical powe s, in addi ion o p esen ing he de elopmen o he Second Mode niza ion as ine i able” (Mo eno, 2008: 289). In his p ocess o ideological in e sion, he appeal o pa icipa o y democ acy and an ac i e ole o ci izens becomes a ca ch-wo d o jus i ying he ailu e o a policy ha ep oduces he his o ical imbalances and asymme ies o egional backwa dness and unde de elopmen . Acco ding o he esea che F ancisco Ja ie Mo eno, he u u e challenge would in ol e, howe e , ein o cing he ole o Andalusian ci izen and popula cul u e “on which e lec ion on Andalusian de elopmen would ha e o e ol e – o his is e y equen ly he space om which he mos p oduc i e and inno a i e p oposals and o ganiza ion dynamics eme ge” (Mo eno, 2008: 291) – which would acili a e he de ini ion o new o mulas based on he c ea i i y and exp ession o ci izens, capable o s uc u ing endogenous dynamics ha e e se o es ain he dominan ad e se endencies in egional de elopmen . Al hough, o he momen , his does no appea o be he speci ic in eg a ion app oach o he new go e nance and democ a iza ion policies o digi al cul u e nei he in Andalusia no in o he Sou he n Eu opean egions, no o ha ma e in he EU municipali ies hemsel es. III. LOCAL EXPERIENCES 1. Ci iz@mo e. The eali y o he Eu opean map. When ying o desc ibe he p ocesses in ol ed in he app op ia ion o new echnologies, he conclusions o he CITIZ@MOVE p ojec a e simila o hose o he a o emen ioned s udies on Andalusia (Sie a, 2006b). In a de ailed analysis o he o ms o pa icipa o y democ acy in 10 Spanish and Eu opean ci ies (Se ille, G az, De y, Toledo, Cosenza, Mis e bianco, Si acusa, Valencia, Pecs and ASDA-A hens), gea ed o iden i ying om 2004-2006 good p ac ices and expe iences ha local au ho i ies can capi alize on so as o mo e ahead in he de elopmen o cybe democ acy, he s udy en i led, “New in o ma ion echnologies, ci izen pa icipa ion and local de elopmen (Le us all lea n how o communica e be e . In e ac i e Communica ion P og amme designed by ci izens, ci il se an s and public au ho i ies)”, concludes by indica ing he no o ious absence o public policies add essing he In o ma ion Socie y and ci izens’ igh s a a municipal le el. The mos ele an da a and conclusions o he se o esul s ob ained in he Wo kshop on Diagnosis and Pa icipa o y P ospec s, using he EASW me hodology, indica e ha he weaknesses and de iciencies ou numbe any signi ican p og ess made by he local au ho i ies. The g oup o ci il se an s and public au ho i ies, ci izens and ep esen a i es o social o ganiza ions highligh ed he ollowing in hei diagnoses, using he SWOT analysis echnique: STRENGTHS - The exis ence in he majo i y o he ci ies o ins i u ional websi es wi h in o ma ion on public se ices and p o ision o equipmen o designing uni s o ee access o new echnologies, such as lib a ies, cul u al cen es (Cosenza), you h cen es, o ci y in o ma ion cen es (G az). - The awa eness o Public Adminis a ion and, in some cases, he exis ence o egula o y amewo ks o obliga o y en o cemen ha s ee he ac ions o he local au ho i ies owa ds implemen ing eGo e nmen and ci izen pa icipa ion models ia new echnologies. WEAKNESSES - The lack o in as uc u es and p o ision o equipmen and, as a consequence, he insu icien echnological mode niza ion o he municipali ies. - The lack o aining and he echnological illi e acy among ci izens. - The insu icien p o ision o inancial esou ces o he “ echnological leap o wa d”. - The hie a chical and e ical communica ion, o ally lacking in in e ac i i y, be ween Local Adminis a ion and ci izens. - The unequal and asymme ical access o ci izens o ICTs. - And he lack o knowledge o he pa icipa o y use o he new media. OPPORTUNITIES - The implemen a ion o global p ocesses o pa icipa ion (pa icipa o y budge s in Se ille) and expe iences in he use o ICTs (Valencia, G az). - The poli ical will o he local au ho i ies, he cen al go e nmen , and he EU i sel since he Lisbon Summi . - The c ea ion o ci izen ne wo ks ia he In e ne . THREATS On he o he hand, i has also been obse ed ha , in he local expe iences analyzed he e, he e is a ce ain dissolu eness in he poli ical dimension o communica ion and echnology di ec ly ela ed o he p og essi e comme cializa ion o he public policies and social ac ion o collec i e ac o s such as NGOs. Fo his eason, i is seemingly e iden ha , o implemen ing complex and ad anced o ms o pa icipa o y democ acy ia new in o ma ion echnologies, he con ex ualiza ion o hese social p ac ices in he wides amewo k o communica ion and echnological policies – which ha e been p omo ed in he Eu opean space and he es o he wo ld since he las hi d o he 20 h cen u y – akes on a s a egic na u e. Seen om his pe spec i e, social pa icipa ion in new echnologies is nei he a p oblem o me hod no an ins umen al one, bu essen ially an epis emological p oblem, o o be mo e p ecise a concep ual ma e which has o be add essed as a con lic o he Righ o Communica ion. The p oblem we come up agains lies in he ac ha , in he con ex o he dialec ics o p oduc ion and modi ica ion o he space, he g owing and in ensi e accumula ion and e i o ial concen a ion o capi al, and he symbolic p ojec ion o he cul u al ield as a space o media ion and esolu ion o con lic s, as a esou ce o local de elopmen – and hen as a p i ileged scope o app aisal, in acco dance wi h Yúdice – he democ a iza ion and equali a ian social pa icipa ion o local ac o s in new in o ma ion echnologies cons i u es a simple ins umen o ex ension o ep esen a i e democ acy and he a ionales o con en ional consensus and hegemony. So, he challenge acing local communica ion policies gea ed o de eloping ac i e ci izenship ia new ep esen a ion media, lies in e alua ing and de ining pa icipa ion as a bid o a adical and plu alis democ acy anscending he de ini ion o cul u e as a esou ce ha in e na ional de elopmen policies imp ess on he managemen , s o age, dis ibu ion and o ganiza ion o he access o symbolic goods, depending on he condi ions o ansna ional ci cula ion and de elopmen o capi alism. O e coming his objec i e egula o y amewo k o cybe -democ acy would call o a adical e o mula ion o he p ecep s o ep esen a i e democ acy, decen alizing public in o ma ion and decision-making sys ems beyond he models o ex ension and o ganiza ion based on e icien a ionali y ypical o he in o ma ional pa adigm. Inso a as cybe -democ acy designs a new scena io o public space, new me hods and democ a ic possibili ies o ac i e ci izen pa icipa ion, and abo e all a new concep o space and media ion wi h he ac i e pa icipa ion o he ci izen y, public policies should y o espond in elligen ly o his new eme ging eali y, ques ioning he no ion o ci izenship i sel and he legal amewo k o pa icipa ion in he social ule o law wi hin he amewo k o he e olu ion o he na ion-s a e owa ds he mobile s a e o eshadowing Cogni i e Capi alism (Sie a 2006a). In o he wo ds, nowadays ci izen pa icipa ion in ol es hinking abou media ions and dis ances, cul u al p ac ices and cogni i e amewo ks o e lexi i y and poli ical imagina ion. The doo s opened by new echnologies o he collec i e building o local de elopmen necessa ily in ol e ci izen in e ac ion wi h mode n communica ion sys ems, he co-ope a ion and o ganiza ion o ci ic ne wo ks, and abo e all designing he o ganiza ion o social change based on indi idual and g oup c ea i i y. Ci ic ne wo ks, communi y elecen es, o public an i-globaliza ion pla o ms a e leading o inno a i e o ms o app op ia ion and use o new media, e i alizing c ea i e p ocesses o o ganiza ion and social de elopmen ha ough o be explo ed and adop ed concep ually (Sie a, 2006a, 276), since, acco ding o Ma ela , hese new social ac o s a e add essing ma e s ela ed o in o ma ion, communica ion and cul u e wi h an inc easingly g ea e deg ee o p ecision and sys ema ici y. In Sou he n Eu opean ci ies belonging o egions such as Andalusia, o p o inces o I aly, he p oli e a ion o g oups and collec i es keyed o de ending digi al igh s indica es a u u e ield o ac ion ha public policies should ake in o accoun , i he idea is o empowe and s eng hen he cul u al capi al o his o ically dependen and subo dina e egions so as o de ine o he p ocesses o media ion and balanced de elopmen . Faced wi h he echnoc a ic p ojec o he powe s o he ma ke , he c i ical ne wo ks o local empowe men hus se hemsel es he challenge o ela ing echnological app op ia ion o social change, making he poli iciza ion o echnological change in i s design, de elopmen and applica ion a eali y, wi h espec o he complex a ay o po en ial in e es s, s a egies and policies, as Imanol Zube o has sugges ed. The ela ionship be ween social mo emen s and in o ma ion, communica ion and ICTs eaches, he e o e, way beyond he blinke ed ou look o he ins umen al pe spec i e go e ning he majo i y o he expe iences o in oducing new media in local go e nmen and de elopmen . Since, as ne e be o e, nowadays i is he ci izen who, om cul u al consume o c ea o , plays a p inciple ole in he ans o ma ions o he new media ecosys em. As indica ed by Ga cía Canclini, i is pa adoxical a he e y leas ha in he consume e a o he 21s cen u y, Sou he n Eu opean municipali ies and social o ganiza ions keep on imagining a poli ical subjec o he 18 h cen u y. The con i ma ion o his eali y in egions such as Andalusia demands a he e y leas a adical shi in public policies ela ed o he In o ma ion Socie y, s a ing wi h hinking om bo om up: making ci izens alk. A di icul challenge when he local au ho i ies s ill belie e ha he In e ne will make hem ee, p ospe ous and in eg a ed. REFERENCES - ALAI (2001). 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