Deliberative democracy and digital deliberation. The case of QOT

The new information and communication technologies form a space in which citizens increasingly participate politically. However, more than the potential of this medium as a vehicle to improve the political relations between the general public and its representatives, the experiences of digital participation generate a new framework for reflecting on the nature and limits of the distinct forms of political participation. This article aims to move forward in this area, focussing, firstly, on reflections and debates on deliberative democracy. Secondly, we present a study of deliberative digital democracy carried out by an IESA-CSIC team in the Puente Genil municipal area of Cordoba, and finally return to the general debate on deliberative democracy, based on the conclusions of this study. On one hand, the aim is to enrich the general debate with the result of a new practical experience, and on the other, to go over practical experiences in the light of the general theory of deliberative democracy.