Applying genre theory to (online) public participation. Theoretical perspectives

Dufrasne, M., Patriarche, G. (2011). Applying genre theory to (online) public participation. Theoretical perspectives. IAMCR conference 2011: "Cities, Creativity, Connectivity". 13-17 July.

dufrasne_patriarche_IAMCR 2011.pdf

Abstract: In their review of the literature on e-participation, Sæbø, Rose and Flak (2008) suggest to define participation as a social practice, “an established and recognized political form or genre, such as the political debate meeting, which can be modernized or facilitated by the use of technology” (p.407, emphasis by us). The concept of genre is in the heart of this research, which aims to build up a theoretical framework for the study of public participation based on genre theory. Genre theory, we argue, provides important insights for the study of public participation. This paper combines various perspectives on genre theory (e.g. rhetorical and literary analysis, sociology, media studies, organisational communication, user interface design, computer-mediated communication) in order to open up a series of theoretical perspectives on participatory genres (a notion freely borrowed from Erickson, 1997), focusing especially on the following issues: 1/ genres as a social action attached to (socially defined) recurring situations (Miller, 1984). According to Orlikowski and Yates (1998), genres regulate the why, the what, the how, the who/m, the when and the where of interactions. Participatory genres are therefore characterised by a repertoire of elements (Lacey, 2000). 2/ the interrelationships between genres, or assemblages of genres to borrow Spinuzzi’s term (2004). 3/ the community, which provides its members with a repertoire of genres (Orlikowski, Yates, 1998) that can be used in communication situations. From this perspective, participatory genres only work as “organising structures” (Orlikowksi, Yates, 1998) in a given community. 4/ the evolution of genres (hybridisation of existing genres, advent of new genres) in relation to socio-technical innovations. New civic cultures and new online applications, for instance, do not leave the traditional (i.e. offline) participatory genres unchanged. The online consultation on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) serves as a preliminary case study that exemplifies the proposed theoretical framework.