igorpsoares/dissertation

Bringing Public Budgets Closer to Citizens: An Engagement Challenge for Open Data

Dissertation

Title: Bringing Public Budgets Closer to Citizens: An Engagement Challenge for Open Data

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Coté

Programme: MA Digital Culture and Society

University: King's College London

Abstract

This research evaluated to what extent online initiatives that make use of open budget data can improve citizen awareness and engagement about public spending. Three case studies with different visualization strategies and geographical focuses were assessed: the international platform OpenSpending, the Nigerian BudgIT and the Brazilian Aos Fatos. In light of their audiences and particular realities, these platforms were analyzed by combining qualitative and quantitative methods, taking into account opinions and perceptions gathered in interviews, along with social media engagement patterns based on data from Twitter and Facebook APIs. Moreover, the literature review presents the evolutionary process of governmental transparency since medieval England to modern open government platforms around the world, providing historical context for the demand for improvements in public governance. The political and economic contexts are also evaluated in light of key developments such as the rise of the open source software movement and early open government policies. In addition, critical perspectives available on the literature regarding the politics behind data visualization are presented to frame the challenges faced by initiatives in order to convey their messages. This dissertation is thus an integrated account of different approaches towards open budget data and how such diversification reflects distinct forms and levels of engagement with audiences.