"A brand-new democracy-driven vision for the country is long overdue."
New on Perspectives Journal: A New Democratic Approach for the NDP
Read more: perspectivesjournal.ca/new-approach...
Important conversation to be having as numerous studies show the strong influence local gov has on people's democratic norms and values.
Transparent decision-making & modeling healthy deliberation (even when it's "messy") helps to reduce polarization & foster trust in government.
The link above wasn't working for me, but found it here! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... Very interesting work, congratulations Kate!
In my Mexican family growing up we knew this as "flor de loto" (sitting in the lotus flower position). An appropriation from Indian meditation practice no doubt, but I've always loved the image 😊
They did one better: all roads leading to aid distribution sites are combat zones and prohibited to Palestinians!
I've seen a lot in these months but wow this one was a real acrobatic feat
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Pre & post evaluations show a significant increase in Assembly member's sense of having a say in local decision-making and confidence in the City's responsiveness -- two key drivers of trust in government & democratic resilience, according to OECD research
BC's City of New Westminster becomes the first city in Canada to integrate an ongoing deliberative Assembly reporting directly to staff and Council.
36 residents, selected by civic lottery to broadly represent the city's diverse demographics
pub-newwestcity.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...
The cracks are widening.
THIS is the moment.
Are recounts a thing for close races at the Federal level?
Some people follow the riding by riding numbers, but all I really care for is @jmcelroy.bsky.social in ALL CAPS (and then the actual results!)
Join us April 24 to launch "Advancing Climate Action through Participatory Democracy: Innovative Approaches for Public Engagement at the Local Level".
Let's talk about inclusive policy making, polarization & climate action!
Sign-up: bit.ly/ClimateDemoc...
Co-hosted with @climatecaucus.bsky.social
Strikes me as also necessary to respond to climate emergencies!
And I feel there would also be a role here for strengthening community/neighbourhood ties. Our response to crises depends on local trust and coordination
How can creativity, arts and play help make democracy more inclusive? Our scoping review shows how arts-based methods are used to build solidarity and collective action for social change, but it also highlights key challenges.
Read our latest blog.
www.inspiredemocracy.eu/post/creativ...
The survival of DEI's values in these dark times will depend on us truly embodying the "words on the page". Bringing justice to life beyond possibility of erasure.
PR strategies are easily discarded. The real work lives in enlightened minds, transformed relationships and redistributed resources.
Wild to watch the hatred of "DEI" deconstructed before our eyes, down to the broad lexicon we've developed to understand our complex, beautiful and resilient human existence.
What's on your shelf?
I bumped into the @livedexperienceeducator account on Instagram last year, and have learned so much about how to discuss and design for neurodiversity in an affirming way.
Here the latest tool they've developed offering language beyond diagnosis
www.livedexperienceeducator.com/blog/theneur...
...celebrated the inherent joy of creating community through shared meals, laughter and dialogue (take a peek at our "graduation yearbook" photo wall!)
It's been a great joy to co-facilitate this landmark Assembly and I'm looking forward to learning more from the forthcoming evaluation outcomes.
The City of New Westminster wrapped up the final meeting of its pilot year-long Community Advisory Assembly tonight.
We heard back from City staff about the traction started on the dozens of recommendations the group made on 4 municipal topics. And most importantly... (1/2)
The past 15 months have utterly denigrated the meaning of international law, human rights, justice and democracy.
As the Palestinian people begin to rebuild from the rubble of their homes, the world needs to begin to rebuild a new notion of world order
Fresh from @joannacm.bsky.social and me: a look at how setting up embedded, ongoing democratic innovations - rather than just occasionally dipping our toes into the waters of innovation - could help better connect policy makers and the public, incorporating findings from our recent article in CJPS.
Great to see more space for conversation and experimentation with sortition recruitment!
What else comes to mind?
Real human relationships. In person dialogues over online surveys. Empowering people with better understanding of the system. Providing balanced information (not trying to persuade). Acknowledging historic/ongoing harms that eroded trust. Engaging with a real opportunity for impact and report back.
Started the year with an interesting challenge: a toolkit for public engagement with the core goal of fostering public trust.
Engagement can inherently increase trust (as we see in the OECD data) but what are the unique aspects that enhance that effect? A few things I've been centering...
Loved all the work you put out this year!
This is one of the most beautiful descriptions of qualitative coding I've ever read! I have always loved the work of coding so much. Welcome to the team Jean Paul!
My hand-made beeswax candles arrived from a family-run business and their vision of "nourishing people, planet and soul while starving hatred, greed and the Evil Empire" is...yes please.
If you're a new follower hello and this is what I'm here for 🦋
Would love to be added! Thanks for organizing this
“just a little more reading then I can start writing”