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Democratic Innovations

December 30, 2025

🎈 Why elected elites might reach for democratic innovations 

Şule Yaylacı Elected politicians face rising mistrust, gridlock, and citizen disengagement. In their research, Şule Yaylaci, Edana Beauvais and Mark E. Warren show how democratic innovations can help elites tackle inclusion gaps, agenda-setting dilemmas, and decision-making deadlocks. The authors also highlight the risks of co-optation and 'democracy washing' Read more
July 25, 2025

Relational design for democracy and governance

Erica Dorn Erica Dorn and Sofía Bosch Gómez argue that citizen disillusionment with democratic systems presents designers with an important opportunity. Moving beyond digital interfaces, relational design reimagines governance by prioritising equity, legitimacy, and collective care. Designers help shape who belongs, who decides, and the potential in participatory, inclusive, and systemic interventions  Read more
June 6, 2025

💊 The power of social models for teaching democratic politics

Titus Alexander Our models of higher education have polarising effects. Titus Alexander argues that we need to learn from Nordic models of adult education and recognise teaching as a form of scholarship to help citizens renew democracy Read more
April 25, 2025

The democratic purpose of social media: empowering civil society

Markus Patberg Many are calling for for reforms to social media platforms that will strengthen their democratic function. But to meaningfully reshape online platforms, we first need to determine their democratic purpose. Our goal, argues Markus Patberg, should be to empower civil society Read more
October 30, 2024

💊 The power of a good example: social models offer the best future for political science

Titus Alexander Academic political science is a cottage industry compared with tendentious large-scale social experiments conducted by big businesses, governments and election strategists. Titus Alexander argues that political scientists need to recognise the power of institutions as social models and real-time experiments to help people solve problems and meet their needs better. Read more
July 23, 2024

💊 Opportunities and potential pitfalls of AI-supported democracy

Henrik Skaug Sætra Democracy is facing serious challenges. Some are contemplating whether artificial intelligence (AI) could help revitalise it. AI is, after all, heralded as the solution to a broad range of social and political challenges. Henrik Skaug Sætra argues that AI does indeed offer some hope, but also serious potential pitfalls Read more
June 19, 2024

🔮 Populist attitudes as thermometers of democratic quality

Marie-Isabel Theuwis Populist attitudes are responsive to perceived improvements in the democratic system. Marie-Isabel Theuwis and Rosa Kindt argue that this makes them a useful means to measure democratic quality Read more
April 4, 2024

🔮 Chatbot politicians: who are they, and what is their connection to populism?

Silvija Vuković The idea that human politicians may one day be replaced by machines is no longer science fiction. Focusing on the political aspect of artificial intelligence, Silvija Vuković introduces the phenomenon of chatbot politicians, and discusses their connection to populism Read more

The Loop

Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
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Advancing Political Science
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