This paper dealt with the nature of the Participatory Geoweb (PGeoweb) and its consequences on public participation. What I found thought-provoking in this article is how the authors examined the ways in which the PGeoweb can affect citizen-government interactions. It is noted that there was a “heterogenization of the role of the state as a convener”. This change of roles is interesting since traditionally the state holds the balance of power over its citizens. With the PGeoweb, having the ability for citizens to act as convener would shift some this balance of power away from the state. The authors do warn, however, of the government “checking the boxes” and not having two-way dialogue during participation. If that could be fixed, a more efficient ‘participation’ between citizen and state would be permitted.
In a similar vein to that above, the blurring of the lines between expert and non-expert is an important idea to elaborate upon. This change in traditional roles could be beneficial for less advantaged groups if the ability for them to have a more active role in participation is enabled. For example, local populations can utilize the PGeoweb for projects (ex. mapping territory or resources) from within the community, without the influence of other actors who might have conflicting interests (ex. mining companies). While the differences between experts and non-experts becomes muddled, the information provided must remain credible in order for the non-experts’ information to remain a growing part of the scientific community.
-Benny