The Association for Interactive Democracy shares the results of its research on the opportunities and risks of technology for democracy, social cohesion, inclusion and conflict management with the scientific community and practitioners in the field. The association holds lectures and participates in panels for the exchange of experiences.
Podcast Series
- Digital Democracy Podcast
This series features discussions with scholars and experts in the field.
- LiquidFeedback Journeys
This mini-podcast series covers topics such as deliberation, informed decision-making, liquid democracy and more. Through a mix of words and music, we bring these ideas to life.
Keynotes and Panels (selection)
- Building Bridges with Algorithms — Standards for a Strong and Equitable Digital Democracy
National Coalition for Equity Impact (NCEI) Summit #2: Innovations in Equity — Contextualizing U.S. and International Perspectives, Santa Monica, California
- Using Deliberative Conversation Methods to Bridge Divides
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
- Algorithmic Technology for Democracy
Lorentz Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Communicating Across Political Fault Lines – Reaching the 'Unreachable'
Thomas Mann House in collaboration with The Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the Association for Interactive Democracy, Pacific Palisades, California
- Liquid Democracy, Algorithms, and the Temporal Dimension
Mechanism Design for Social Good, Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard University
- Deliberation across political fault lines, bottom-up approaches, and the role of the regions
Berlin Conference 2021: Europe Bottom-Up!
- Implementing online deliberative methods of engagement
Centre for Democratic Engagement and UK House of Commons
- Mathematics for Social Activism
University of Leeds, UK
- Internet Deliberation and Voting
Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
- Digital Democracy
King's College London, UK
- The Future of Democracy
University of Bologna, Italy
- A fair process of decision making
University of Toulouse, France
- Conectados por la Paz in Bogotá, Colombia
with the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace (OACP) to the Colombian government
- Technology & Strengthening Democracy in Islamabad, Pakistan
with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) New York
- Political Parties and the Citizens in Yangon, Myanmar,
with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) Stockholm, Sweden
Talks
- LiquidFeedback - A fair deliberation and decision making process
The talk describes the challenge of debating in large groups and how the LiquidFeedback framework can enable a self-organized deliberation and decision-making process without moderator intervention, even in the presence of real conflicts. The talk also explains how sophisticated preference aggregation algorithms protect against the dominance of vocal groups, hate speech, and trolling, while ensuring that minorities can express their point of view.
- Preference aggregation algorithms for a fair deliberation and decision making
What mathematics can do for activists and politicians
- Transitive Proxy Voting (Liquid Democracy)
Liquid Democracy relies on the notion of the division of labor, which has been part of the success story of the human species. Over the centuries, the division of labor—specialization and cooperation—has become increasingly complex. No modern society can exist without it. Today, it not only affects the economic systems that underlie social life, but also has repercussions in the world of democracy. While representative democracy constitutes a clear division of labor in the field of politics, Liquid Democracy facilitates a dynamic division of labor based on individual choice. Ultimately, the decision for, or against, representation is left to the voter, applies to his or her own vote, can be topic-specific, and can be adjusted at any time.
Ongoing Debates
- Reaching across the aisle - The merit of the argument in a highly polarized society
Finding common ground among conservatives, liberals, and independents
- Social algorithms and ideologically diverse content
Keeping individual choice, filters, and personalization in perspective
- Racial Equity
Inclusion of marginalized populations equitably in public policy decisions
- The tyranny of supermajorities
The fairytale of consensus: Majority rule and political equality
- Pre-Columbian inspiration
What Indigenous Nations can teach us about democracy and the common good
- Political hacks for good or bad
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and Gerrymandering
