The Gamification of Citizens' Participation in Policymaking

This book examines the use of game elements to encourage citizens to participate in political decision-making and the planning of large-scale public sector projects. It argues that success is based on a personal concern with the project and a belief in the influence on political decision making, but also on fun. Without fun, only a very small group of the ‘usual suspects’ will participate, especially in classic policymaking approaches like citizens’ panels which require time and physical attendance. The book also examines the relationship between representative democracy and citizen participation from the perspective of direct democratic instruments in Germany. Readers from different countries with different political systems can decide for themselves, if and how the results from Germany are transferable to their respective conditions. Grounded in theoretical literature and statistical data, the book also makes use of narratives, applying a ‘storytelling’ approach to the case studies.                                                                                                   

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: Gamification – Engaging People by Letting Them have Fun Gamification in the Indication of Democratization and Humanization of the World of EmploymentThe Development of Games and Playing in General in Private Sector Companies: Basic Features of Games, Game Elements and Player TypesCreating a Playful Environment in Private Sector CompaniesPlaying Games with the Customers in Private Sector CompaniesPlaying Games within the Organization Chapter 2: Citizens’ Participation – Theory and Practice: Confronting the Theory with some Stories about Citizens’ ParticipationRedistribution of Power, Deliberation and WorkabilityArnsteins’s Ladder of Citizens’ Participation – Remastered (German Version 2018)The Story of the “Blue Lagoon” and the Problem of “Tokenism”“Do More of the Same”: Politicians and Planners put their Faith in “Tokenism”The “Story of the Expertise of Citizens”: Deliberation works better without the PeopleThe Story of “The People in the Sun” vs. “The People in the Shade” and the Problem of “Traditional” Planning and Participation Chapter 3: Behind the Scenes: What empirical Evidence is Telling us about the Practice of Citizens’ ParticipationThe Participation Dilemma (in Germany): The more Possibilities there are, the more the People Demand and Stay AbsentDeliberative Methods Need much Time and Effort and are UnpopularPeople Distrust Politics and Like to keep an Eye on itCrisis of Representative Democracy: Citizens’ Participation as the wrong Medication for a Phantom Pain?Equality and Fairness: Only Elections and Referendums Score Well Chapter 4: Citizens’ Participation – How Gamification can help Citizens’ Participation to FlourishPorto Alegre and the High Hopes for a new Democracy (“Old Wine in New Bottles”?)A brief history of Participative Budgeting in GermanGamification in the Planning of Big Infrastructure Projects: Workability through Visualization and Systemic Consensus Chapter 5: Lessons Learned: An Author’s DigestPlaying (Games): An Enduring Success StoryWorkability: What Makes a Game Successful?Citizens’ Participation as the Reinvention of Democracy: “Who is Going to Rescue the Rescuer?”Citizens’ Participation: How to Bridge the Abyss Between Ideal and RealityTwo Success Stories about Citizens’ Participation: Gamification is More than Adding a Clown to a Citizens’ Jury Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Kai Masser is Senior Researcher at the German Research Institute for Public Administration (GRIP) and a Lecturer at the German University of Administrative Sciences, Speyer, Germany. Linda Mory is a Senior Project Consultant at a global IT company and a Lecturer at the German University of Administrative Sciences, Speyer, Germany.