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2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

The Citizen Scientist in the ePolicy Cycle

Authors : Johann Höchtl, Judith Schossböck, Thomas J. Lampoltshammer, Peter Parycek

Published in: Government 3.0 – Next Generation Government Technology Infrastructure and Services

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

This chapter discusses a participation and technology enabled model of the citizen scientist in relation to the policy cycle. With interconnected personal devices collecting a plethora of various data, citizens are capable to serendipitously contribute to crowded knowledge generation. In the governance domain, the trend towards more data-driven models of governance and decision-making has been considerable. Big data contains the methodologies to cope with the wealth of data generated by the citizen scientist and in turn provides the tools and technologies to draw actionable insights from this data, f.i. with predictive technologies that could optimise resources across government sectors. After discussing the changing role of science and the technological and participative enablers and methods of engagement relevant for citizen participation, this contribution discusses the role of the citizen scientist and his or her involvement in the big data enabled governance loop by defining three use cases within the policy cycle. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges that can arise in this context.

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Footnotes
1
Also in the e-government or e-policy domain, cp. f.i. Scholl, H.-J. (2016), Profiling the Academic Domain of Digital Democracy and Government, presentation at CeDEM16, conference for e-democracy and open government, 18th May 2016, Krems, Austria.
 
2
Enserink, M., In dramatic statement, European leaders call for “immediate” open access to all scientific papers by 2020. Science, 27th May 2016, http://​www.​sciencemag.​org/​news/​2016/​05/​dramatic-statement-european-leaders-call-immediate-open-access-all-scientific-papers (accessed 15th July 2016).
 
3
The Extreme Citizen Science Group at UCL London is also working with marginalized communities in citizen science activities with the goal to enable wider participation by lay people.
 
4
It can be noted that these newer forms of citizen engagement re less standardized, but mostly opportunistic or directed.
 
5
Data compilers should be able to utilize centralized data to produce scientific results in exactly the same way as anyone else should be allowed.
 
6
Irwin explores the configuration of the scientific citizen within policy and consultation processes and accesses the significance of such technologies for the practice of scientific citizenship.
 
7
Thiel also addresses that ethical considerations need to be considered.
 
13
Cliff Saran: How big data powers the eBay customer journey. Case study, Computer Weekly, 2014-04-29 (http://​www.​computerweekly.​com/​news/​2240219736/​Case-Study-How-big-data-powers-the-eBay-customer-journey, retrieved 2016-12-11).
 
14
https://​minecraft.​net/​en/​, available on PC, handhelds and gaming consoles and found its way into many more applications but designing virtual worlds.
 
16
http://​wxqa.​com/, retrieved 18.07.2016.
 
19
Metcalf and Crawford identified several cases of an “ethics divide” in the big data context and address disputes about human-subjects research ethics in data science.
 
20
Down on the Data: facts are not the only truth in life. Greg Jericho, The Guardian, 2016-09-19 (https://​www.​theguardian.​com/​commentisfree/​2016/​sep/​19/​down-on-the-data-facts-are-not-the-only-truth-in-life, retrieved 2016-12-11).
 
21
Data Protection Act Austria (Datenschutzgesetz, DSG), BGBl. I Nr. 165/1999, §49 (3).
 
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Metadata
Title
The Citizen Scientist in the ePolicy Cycle
Authors
Johann Höchtl
Judith Schossböck
Thomas J. Lampoltshammer
Peter Parycek
Copyright Year
2017
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63743-3_3