Democratic Innovation for the Information Age

Democratic Innovation for the Information Age

Which innovations in public participation restore and sustain democracy in turbulent times?

Despite continued support worldwide for democracy as a regime, democracy as a practice is suffering. Threats include declining trust in government and political parties, distorted digital communications, and rising populism and polarisation in politics.

In a positive response, governments, businesses, and charities are already reimagining democracy. They have designed inventive democratic services and devices that can help sustain democratic order. Some examples include participatory budgeting, randomly selected juries, and different forms of referendums. These social innovations are often supported by civic technologies, open data applications, citizen science, and behavioural nudges such as information cues that increase civic volunteering.

Yet we know little about what works beyond case studies and we know that some of these interventions can increase disengagement, misinformation, and manipulation.