A Janus-faced view of electronic governance Between Foucault and Habermas

 Karol Dobrzeniecki

Nicolas Copernicus University

Torun (PL)

Reykjavik, 13th – 14th of July 2007, LEFIS Meeting

The Information Technology Paradigm*

- information is its raw material

- pervasiveness of IT’s effects

- networking logic

- flexibility: the material basis of an informational society can be reprogrammed and retooled

*M.Castells, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture.Vol 1.:The Rise of the Network Society, Oxford 2000, p. 69.

Why a theoretical dimension of the electronic governance?

-to avoid a technological determinism

-to provide a conteptual framework

-to identify new kind of values and risks

Two visions: Habermas vs. Foucault

Habermas: Ideal speech situation

- The requirement of generality- Autonomy- Ideal role taking- Power neutrality- Transparence

The unconstrained, unifying, consensus-bringing force of argumentative speech

Can the ideal speech situation occur in the cyberspace?

- New digital tools for a civil society

- Electronic government and self-government

- Access to public information

- Internet Standard Making Process

Foucault: disciplinary power

- hierarchical observation- normalising judgements and examination- micro-penalties and rewards- more effective, less repressive control - no central controlling agency

Bentham's Panopticon is an ideal architectural model of modern disciplinary power. Its principle may be

universally applied.

Potential for disciplinary projects in the digital age

• Digital Rights Management Systems

• Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems

• Radio Frequency Identification

• Video-surveillance cameras

Conclusion:

There is a very thin border between:

-the-perfect-knowledge-society project

and

the-perfect-knowledge-about-a-society project

How to keep the balance?

- technological transparency (open standards)

- taking care of the public domain

- understanding of the new modes of regulation