About DemocracyNext
DemocracyNext is an international research & action institute focused on broadening who has power and enhancing how we make decisions together.
We believe in a more just, joyful, and collaborative future, where everyone has meaningful power to shape their societies.
We champion three democratic practices – sortition (choosing decision makers by lottery), deliberation (structured collective reasoning), and rotation (taking turns to represent and be represented) – that together make democracy more legitimate, more trustworthy, and more effective.
These ideas are the foundations of self-governance, now being rediscovered and put to work in citizens’ assemblies around the world, enabling people to be with complexity, exercise collective intelligence, and find common ground.
Our hypothesis is that if people have greater agency in decision making, the ripple effects contribute to a thriving, resilient society of active citizens, where people have stronger trust in one another, a meaningful sense of belonging, and are less polarised. Citizens’ assemblies lead to more legitimate and informed decisions, policies, and resource allocations.
We help leaders across government, culture, and education learn, establish, and permanently embed them. Read our 2024 Impact Report. Find out more about how to collaborate with us.
