Data Visualization: An Untapped Potential for Political Participation and Civic Engagement

This article elaborates on the use of data visualization to promote a more informed and engaged participation in civic and democratic life. First, it outlines the main constraints and challenges in electronic participation research and concludes that the conventional deliberative approach to political participation has been impeding civic engagement. Then, through a couple of recent examples and a brief historical overview, it examines the power of data visualization. Following this, it explores the democratization of data visualization through four interconnected themes that provide new opportunities for political participation and civic engagement research: data storytelling, infographics, data physicalization, and the quantified self. The goal is to call attention to this space and encourage a larger community of researchers to explore the possibilities that data visualization can bring.