There is a widely acknowledged evaluation gap in the field of e-participation practice and research, a lack of systematic evaluation with regard to process organization, outcome and impacts. This book addresses the state of the art of e-participation research and the existing evaluation gap by reviewing various evaluation approaches and providing a multidisciplinary concept for evaluating the output, outcome and impact of citizen participation via the Internet as well as via traditional media. It offers new knowledge based on empirical results of its application (tailored to different forms and levels of e-participation) in an international comparative perspective. The book will advance the academic study and practical application of e-participation through fresh insights, largely drawing on theoretical arguments and empirical research results gained in the European collaborative project "e2democracy". It applies the same research instruments to a set of similar citizen participation processes in seven local communities in three countries (Austria, Germany and Spain). The generic evaluation framework has been tailored to a tested toolset, and the presentation and discussion of related evaluation results aims at clarifying to what extent these tools can be applied to other consultation and collaboration processes, making the book of interest to policymakers and scholars alike.
Introduction.- Part I: Conceptual background.- The evaluation gap in e-participation research and practice.- Citizen participation in climate policy.- Part II: Evaluation of public (e-)information and (e-)consultation processes in climate policy.- Evaluating public (e-)information provision.- Evaluating public (e-)consultation processes.- PART III: Evaluating public (e-) collaboration processes in climate policy.- Different kinds of collaboration.- Evaluation approach, concept, tools and empirical setting.- CO2 calculator for Impact measurement.- Comparing output and Outcome.- Climate related attitudes and behaviour changes.- Ecological impacts on individual level.- Ecological impacts on collective level.- Drop out analysis.- The organizers view.- Civic and social impacts.- Part IV: Specific role of e-participation and implications for evaluation of participation processes.- Online - offline comparison.- Implications for evaluating participation processes (consultation and collaboration).- Summary and outlook.- References.- Annex.
