Online Political Participation in Smart Cities: Exploring Elements Towards an Analytical Framework

This research represents a foundational step in understanding the complex interplay between state capacities and online political participation in smart city environments. This paper forms part of a broader investigation into state capacity in online political participation within smart cities. It offers preliminary findings aimed at identifying elements for a future analytical framework concerning online political participation initiatives in smart cities. Drawing from literature and public information on reference practices like participatory budgeting, insights are extracted to contribute to the development of a comprehensive taxonomy for these initiatives. Emphasizing the significance of state capacities, elements related to the necessary capabilities, particularly focusing on intensive data usage such as big data analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence are identified. These elements serve as an initial phase in constructing a comprehensive database and conducting future in-depth case studies. Subsequent fieldwork will refine these elements, shaping the definitive categories for the analytical framework.