Original
Exploring the role of citizen-to-citizen (C2C) interactions in enhancing e-participation: a social capital perspective
Abstract
Enhancing citizen participation remains a key challenge in contemporary governance. While social capital is widely seen as a driver of engagement, its role in digital environments is still underexplored. Using longitudinal data from a government-sponsored forum in China, this study examines how three dimensions of social capital shape e-participation. The results indicate that interaction breadth (structural capital), interpersonal trust (relational capital), and shared topics of interest (cognitive capital) significantly enhance e-participation. These findings extend social capital theory to digital governance and offer practical insights for designing inclusive participation platforms that effectively leverage online social capital.
中文
探索公民间（C2C）互动在提升电子参与中的作用：社会资本视角
摘要
提升公民参与仍是当代治理的关键挑战。尽管社会资本被广泛视为参与的重要驱动力，但其在数字环境中的作用仍探讨不足。本研究利用中国一个政府主办的论坛的纵向数据，考察社会资本的三个维度如何塑造电子参与。结果表明，互动广度（结构资本）、人际信任（关系资本）和共同感兴趣的话题（认知资本）显著提升电子参与。这些发现将社会资本理论拓展至数字治理领域，并为设计能够有效利用在线社会资本的包容性参与平台提供了实践启示。
关键词
电子参与、社会资本、公民间互动、数字治理、在线参与、政府论坛、中国