E-CITIZENSHIP: THE DIGITAL CITIES PROGRAM, A TOOL FOR A NEW MODEL OF CITIZENSHIP IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to discuss, from a contemporary perspective, how public policies which introduced the concept of digital cities have giving new meanings for the model of citizenship in Brazil and at the same time being an introduction to smart cities projects in near future. What this research is trying to demonstrate is how the digital cities program and its deployments can be a trigger to a new citizenship model in the country. The start point of this study was the concept of citizenship in the context of the dynamics of digital cities. The methodological path followed by the researchers was a qualitative exploratory and bibliographical approach, which begin with the state of art of various aspects of citizenship within the perspective of the public policy that implemented the digital cities program. As a result, it was observed that when there is a massive penetration of digital technologies in the society, in particular in the public sector management, the implementation of citizenship occurs more easily; however, there is still a large portion of the population that remains outside of this process, no longer because of difficulties to have access to internet, which was a limiting factor in the past, but for not understanding the mechanisms of participation and interaction, the new possibilities of  internet access nor the importance of using information, what may configure a case of digital illiteracy.