Special Session: Forced migration in the 21st century, an opportunity for Digital Services to Enhance Lives

Special Session – Call for Papers and Participation

“Forced migration in the 21st century:  An opportunity for Digital Services to Enhance Lives”

Mass migration, to Europe in particular, of displaced people as those seen since 2014 have created a major problem for European countries in terms of the relocation of these groups of people and the impact such moves will have on services and local communities. At the same time a great opportunity has arisen for collecting data and utilizing current ICT and web based technologies to explore such data and turn the problem into solutions with immediate impact. By using current state-of-the-art e-government applications that are probably underutilized, creating new ones and integrating other existing systems the situation can be turned to an advantageous one for all.

A major challenge in this situation is that of engagement of the displaced with the democratic process and the regeneration of democracy, law and order in their countries of origin. Refugees as well as migrants usually yearn to return to their homeland if the situation, and particularly the political one, was to improve. To do so these masses of the displaced need to be able to engage with political activity, participate in debates and vote in elections. The use of social networks (popular among the displaced) that provide secure access to political fora, and secure e-voting systems that guarantee the integrity of the process can provide the platform for the smooth, continuous participation in the re-democratization of their homelands. Thus the basis for safe, secure and sustainable repatriation for those that wish it can be achieved, while for those that wish to remain abroad they can have a continuous contribution to their country’s redevelopment.

The organizer of this special session of the 7th International Conference on eDemocracy, invites contributions from academics, researchers and practitioners to participate and contribute to the collective knowledge in this very challenging and current topic area.

Participants are invited to contribute their views and / or experiences. We are very keen to hear from representatives of NGOs and of government
related organizations that that support migrants.

All contributions should be in the format of scientific papers as per the regular call for papers for this conference and will be peer reviewed accordingly.

Depending on the participation to this special session, a round table discussion could follow the end of the presentations.

The organizer of the session would like to advise that the contributions should be purely on scientific research basis. Any attempt to use the session as a forum of political debate will not be acceptable.

 

Organised by Dr Elias Pimenidis

University of the West of England, UK

elias.pimenidis@uwe.ac.uk