How e‐Government Shapes Citizen Engagement in Participatory Budgeting

ABSTRACT

E‐government has been widely adopted to enhance citizen participation and improve transparency in public decision making. Yet, its effects on engagement remain context‐dependent and insufficiently theorized, particularly in Global South settings. To address this gap, this study explains how e‐government reshapes the conditions under which citizen participation occurs in Participatory Budgeting processes. The study comparatively analyzes two Participatory Budgeting initiatives in Brazil—a face‐to‐face model in Teresina and a digitally mediated model in Piauí. Drawing on 38 semi‐structured interviews with public officials, community leaders, and citizens, the study develops a mechanism‐based explanation of digital participation. The findings identify three mechanisms (translation, visibility, and orchestration) through which e‐government reconfigures participation conditions related to access, trust, and mobilization. Rather than simply increasing or decreasing participation, e‐government transforms how participation is performed, how transparency is constructed, and how citizens are mobilized. These effects are contingent upon contextual conditions and managerial commitment, which shape whether digital tools expand engagement or reinforce exclusion. By shifting the focus from outcomes to mechanisms, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of digital governance and participatory processes.