Information and citizenship: a governance perspective

ABSTRACTThe emergence and reconfiguration of a society that has greater means to access information – which in itself presents new features and contradictions – generates a need to debate the role of information in encouraging a more active and participatory citizenship in the management of public policies. This article discusses issues of democracy, citizenship participation, the public sphere, and how these are related to the information age and knowledge society in Latin America. Similarly, it reflects on other aspects of government, such as governance, which can enable wider and more active citizen participation. The article concludes that while inequality exists in the region in terms of availability and access to information, governance offers promising elements to build a more informed and participatory citizenship in public affairs and public policy management