What the Turkish parliamentary web site offers to citizens in terms of e-participation: A content analysis

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sobaci, Zahid^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Public Administration, Uludag University, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Uludag University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Public Administration, Gorukle Campus, Bursa, Turkey. Tel.: +90 224 294 11 51 Fax: +90 224 294 10 03; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: ICTs today have a great impact on the parliamentary democracy. With the advent of the Internet, ICTs have become more than a tool enabling more efficient and rational internal operations of the parliament; they now have the power to transform the relationship between the parliament and the citizens. In this context, this article aims to examine the TGNA's Web site in terms of the e-participation opportunities offered to the citizens. The method of content analysis has been used for the examination of the TGNA's Web site. According to the results of the analysis, the content of the TGNA's Web site is poor in terms of e-participation. The most important reason for the poor e-participation content of the TNGA's Web site is the basic features of the Turkish political and administrative culture. Therefore, improving the e-participation content of the TGNA's Web site requires a mindset change on the part of both parliamentary administration and the citizens.

Keywords: E-parliament, parliamentary web site, e-participation, democracy, Turkey

DOI: 10.3233/IP-2010-0209

Journal: Information Polity, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 227-241, 2010