Democracy, peace, & deliberation
“The boundary between public and private is part of the conflict between public spheres. For example, until recently, only feminists though domestic violence was a public concern, rather than a private matter. Democratic publicity therefore requires positive guarantees of opportunities for minorities to convince others of what qualifies as common i
... See more“That the proliferation of a multiplicity of competing publics is a step away from greater democracy. “It follows that public life in egalitarian, multicultural societies cannot consist exclusively in a single, comprehensive public sphere. That would be tantamount to filtering diverse rhetorical and stylistic norms through a single, overarching len
... See moreSupporting Hard Conversations in Close Relationships Through Design
The research explores how digital design can enhance the experience of navigating difficult conversations within close relationships, emphasizing the importance of consent, emotional regulation, and effective communication strategies.
amandabaughan.comSupporting Hard conversations w digital design
Technology cannot fix the fact that freedom is an endless meeting, but it can make the meetings shorter and less painful with new collaborative tools and by automating the worst of the bureaucracy
Polis ensures that participants focus on the content of comments and the state of the conversation, because there are no direct conversations or interactions with other participants. Discussion on the platform in this sense happens at a distance, like an observer sitting on a park bench or standing on a balcony.
Alex Pentland • Rediscovering the Pleasures of Pluralism: The Potential of Digitally Mediated Civic Participation — Digitalist Papers
The work of political theorist Bernardo Zacka illuminates the importance of “in-between spaces.” Zacka’s focus is on physical spaces, such as balconies on apartment buildings that overlook the street, and how they can enable what Zacka calls a “reserved sociability” that strengthens pluralism in democratic societies. (12) When the driver of a car s... See more
Alex Pentland • Rediscovering the Pleasures of Pluralism: The Potential of Digitally Mediated Civic Participation — Digitalist Papers
“In between spaces” with “reserved sociability”
Quantitative experiments, sometimes including tens of millions of individuals, have examined inclusiveness and efficiency in decision-making via digital networks. Their findings suggest that large networks of nonexperts can make practical, productive decisions and engage in collective action under certain (1) conditions. (2) These conditions includ... See more
Alex Pentland • Rediscovering the Pleasures of Pluralism: The Potential of Digitally Mediated Civic Participation — Digitalist Papers
Rediscovering the Pleasures of Pluralism: The Potential of Digitally Mediated Civic Participation — Digitalist Papers
Alex Pentlanddigitalistpapers.com
In a sense, the most important decision for any group to make is how to allocate their attention. In any online discussion platform, a deliberative consensus protocol can be used to focus attention on the most informative conversation threads and on comments that stand up to scrutiny, thereby promoting deep, honest, informed, and intelligent conver... See more