Technology-enabled political empowerment

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-101).Political participation and community involvement in the United States have declined steadily and significantly over the past four decades, and some attribute the fall to new media, such as television and the Internet. This thesis is a study of new technologies and their impact on political and community involvement. I-Neighbors.org is a technology allowing individuals register a free website and email list for their neighborhood. Through a particular feature of I-Neighbors called GovLink users can contact their elected officials for free. This thesis is based on a study of the behavior of I-Neighbors and GovLink users, looking for evidence that these technologies affect community involvement and political participation. Data gathered through surveys, the United States Census, and a short case study shows that new media can have a profound impact on community dialogue and political involvement.by Jacob William Faber.S.M