Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 99 p. : ill., map. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-96).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Environmental Studies. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 290-308). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR19805

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Iowa, 2007. / Supervisor: Alfonso J. Damico. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 284-299).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 339-342) Also available in print.

O presente trabalho analisa o conteúdo desenvolvido dentro dos espaços virtuais dos fóruns de discussão disponibilizados por meio do portal e-Democracia da Câmara Federal de Deputados. O referido portal oferece aos cidadãos a possibilidade de participação na elaboração do texto de leis, realizada por meio do oferecimento de ferramentas participativas, como bate-papos, enquetes, editores colaborativos de textos, além dos fóruns de discussão, espaço no qual a pesquisa se concentra. A partir dessa possibilidade de interação entre sociedade civil e poder público e, do desenvolvimento teórico acerca da participação política empreendida por meio da internet, a dissertação propõe, primeiramente, avaliar o grau de deliberatividade das discussões realizadas online, utilizando os indicadores justificação, reciprocidade, reflexividade, informação e pluralidade, extraídos da literatura sobre teoria deliberativa. Propõe ainda, identificar as demandas dos participantes originadas das discussões nos fóruns e mensurar seu aproveitamento no texto das leis sancionadas. Por último, o trabalho busca estabelecer uma relação entre essas duas etapas: a discussão deliberativa e o aproveitamento das demandas apresentadas. / This paper analyzes the content developed within the discussion forums in virtual spaces available through the Federal House of Representatives e-Democracy website. That website offers citizens the opportunity to participate in drafting the text of laws, held by offering participatory tools such as chats, polls, collaborative text editors, in addition to discussion forums, space in which the research is concentrated. From this possibility of interaction between civil society and the government, and theoretical developments on the political participation undertaken through the Internet, the dissertation proposes, first, evaluate the degree of deliberativeness of online discussions held, using the justification, reciprocity, reflexivity, information and plurality indicators, taken from the deliberative theory literature. It also proposes to identify the demands of the participants originated from discussions in the forums and measure its use in the text of the enacted laws. Finally, the study seeks to establish a relationship between these two steps: a deliberative discussion and the use of the demands presented.

A democratic workplace is one where workers as a body have the right to determine the internal organization and future direction of the firm. Worker co-operatives are a type of democratic firm. In a worker co-operative employees are joint-owners of the firm and participate democratically in workplace governance. Much has been written about the supposed benefits of worker co-operatives for workers and for society. One thread of this research, originating with Carole Pateman’s theoretical work (Pateman 1970), argues that worker co-operatives act as sites of political learning for workers. By participating democratically in workplace decisions, individuals are thought to learn the skills and psychological dispositions needed to participate in political democracy. A second thread argues that co-operatives will improve worker well-being. Democratic governance will give workers control over work organization, increasing autonomy in their daily lives, and leading to an increase in non-material work rewards such as job satisfaction. Worker ownership will equalize the material rewards from work and improve job security. These arguments are premised on the idea that democratic governance structures and worker ownership will lead to widespread, effective worker participation in decision-making and the equalization of power at work. However, insufficient attention is given to the contextual factors beyond formal governance and ownership structures that shape the internal dynamics of workplace democracy. I conduct an in-depth, mixed-methods case study of a worker co-operative with 158 employees in the UK cycling retail industry. Using survey research, social network analysis, in-depth interviews and direct observation, I show how individual differences, firm-level contextual factors such as the social composition of the organization, and macro-level factors such as economic and cultural context, lead to unequal participation opportunities and different outcomes for different groups of workers within the firm. My research leads to three conclusions. First, the outcomes of workplace democracy for workers are highly context-dependent. They will differ across groups of workers within co-operatives, across different democratic firms, and across cultures. Second, the relationship between workplace democracy and political participation is more complex than the Pateman thesis suggests. It is contingent on the political identities of workers, which are themselves shaped by wider political economic context. Political identity affects both participation behaviour at work, and how workplace experience shapes political views. Third, the subjective well-being outcomes of workplace democracy depend on workers’ expectations about work. Expectations are shaped by the same forces that mould political identity. Workplace democracy raises expectations for certain groups of workers, leading to well-being harms when expectations are not met. Overall, the benefits of workplace democracy for workers and for society are overstated. In the UK context, co-ops are unlikely to realize the benefits attributed to them without large-scale public policy interventions.