Structuration, emancipation and democracy

Abstract

The study investigates the role of ICT in facilitating democracy. The role of ICT in maintaining status quo, or structure of the society can be explained using structuration theory of which implications include the existence of chances that people find a novel phenomenon that might bring about permanent changes. Achieving democracy under dictatorship requires this kind of status of change in people's mind. This aspect of structuration theory is argued to be equivalent to "emancipation" concept of the critical social theory. This study posits that ICT may work as an enforcer of structures but can provide a springboard for enlightenment. Processes of such emancipation are shown using empirical data from South Korea. The actor-network theory is also used to explain the success of ICT as facilitating non-human artifact to democracy in South Korea. This study provides a viable theoretical model to understand the role of ICT in facilitating democracy. © 2006 IEEE.