A true experiment cannot fail
One of the conceits, and consolations, of scholarship is that an experiment cannot fail. Even if it does not turn out as expected, it will still yield useful information.
In 2004, three organizations in Oshkosh embarked on an experiment in using the Internet to encourage civic engagement. They hoped that by sponsoring a series of online candidate debates using Web logs, or blogs, they could develop a new mechanism for political discussion with benefits for voters, candidates and the campaign process.
One of the organizations was the Oshkosh Community News Network, a nonprofit I helped organize that has operated with support from the UW Oshkosh Department of Journalism. Journalists and journalism educators have a particular stake in civic engagement, because journalism’s health and viability are connected to reader involvement in local and national political affairs.
My hope was that the medium itself would affect both the nature of the campaign and its outcome by encouraging interactivity, creating a greater depth of information and offering a new communication channel, particularly to younger voters.
But after the votes were counted, I had to admit that the experiment was at best a qualified success. There was scant evidence that the blog format either increased voter participation or affected voting decisions.
Although this experiment did not live up to expectations, it did nonetheless provide some insights into the challenges of moving a popular phrase like “civic engagement” from buzzword to reality. In my view, the challenges that need to be overcome are inertia, institutional resistance and isolation.
Inertia is the most important obstacle to overcome. Civic engagement is like apple pie — no one is against it, but there aren’t many people who are out there baking it either. Institutional resistance is more of a surprise. Although civic engagement would seem to rank up there with motherhood as a worthwhile activity, not everyone agrees about who has a legitimate role in pursuing it.
But perhaps the biggest challenge to overcome is isolation. Civic engagement can only become a reality when a critical mass of ordinary citizens takes shape to have their voices heard. At least in the electronic arena, the so-called blogosphere, we can see that critical mass forming in Oshkosh.
One of my favorite anecdotes from Oshkosh history is that there were 50 newspapers started in the city during its first 50 years. Instead of a monopoly on media, there was a panoply of political viewpoints.
In the last few years, Oshkosh has used technology to return to its frontier roots as local media figures, politicians and private citizens, including students, have taken to the Internet to create a thriving political discourse, a critical step toward a culture of true civic engagement.