CA23114 - Regaining linkage? Digital technologies improving civic engagement, political organisations and democracy (RELINK²)

The RELINK2 Action will intensify existing networking efforts of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries in the EU and beyond, to address two problems:

(1) How can democracies regain legitimacy and rebuild the link between representative institutions and citizens using the benefits of digital technologies?

(2) How can political organisations connect with digitally marginalised but politically active groups (the elderly) and with digitally active but politically marginalised ones (young citizens)?

In this regard, RELINK2 aims to find answers to three research gaps: a) the main organisational consequences of the digital transformation and their impact on re-linkage strategies, b) effectiveness of digital transformations in re-connecting intermediary structures with society, c) implementation of political organisations’ re-linking strategies to marginalised groups based on responsible use of digital tools. This requires an interdisciplinary and coordinated analytical framework.

The network will tackle challenges through research coordination objectives. Four Working Groups will be formed to bring in expertise on: 1) theoretical and 2) methodological challenges, 3) empirical analysis, 4) engagement and dissemination.

RELINK2 will provide new opportunities to strengthen the career development of specific target groups and disseminate knowledge to countries and political organisations with less capacity in the field of the Action.

The practical implication of the Action is to create impact beyond the network. RELINK2 will develop a strong cooperation with stakeholders to integrate a non-academic point of view, identify good practices, and prepare recommendations. The Action aims to meet its objectives through a knowledge production and exchange with relevant stakeholders.