About Democracy Technologies
Does digital technology mean the end of democracy as we know it?
We hope so.
A global transformation is underway, driven by civil servants, tech developers, activists and politicians. Democracy needs to change to survive, and technology is one part of that.
Democracy Technologies provides an accessible, action-oriented guide to the latest developments in the sector: Your independent, critical guide to a digital future driven by democratic values.
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Our Team
You want to know who is behind our articles? This is who we are.
Welcome to Democracy Technologies, your go-to online magazine for comprehensive insights into the world of digital participation, deliberation, e-voting and other digital tools for political processes and organisations. Our dedicated team established this platform with a shared passion to equip individuals working in politics and the democracy technology industry with up-to-date information on developments and discussions in the field.
Laura Giesen
Programme Manager & Editor in Chief
Background: European Studies & Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy.
Areas of work: Management and strategy of Democracy Technologies, editing & occasionally writing on AI in participatory democracy and participation in climate change policy.
Random fact: Spends a lot of time making mental packing lists for long-distance cycling trips that are put into practice much less often than she wants to.
Graham Wetherall-Grujić
Deputy Editor in Chief
Background: Studied and taught philosophy before working as a translator and editor on topics ranging from music to politics.
Areas of work: Writing and editing for the magazine with a focus on voting technologies & digital participation .
Random fact: Helped produce the audio description versions on a couple of films.
Maddalena Landi
Researcher
Background: International Politics and Socio-Ecological Economics & Policy.
Areas of work: Researching topics of democracy technologies and keeping the database up to date.
Random fact: Before university she studied theater at the National Youth Theater in London.
Daniel Mackisack
Product development lead & Editor
Background: Comparative democratisation, social geometry, international development, tech entrepreneurship and diplomacy.
Areas of work: Product development, writing with a focus industry news.
Random fact: A huge space nerd – fusing that with his love of democracy by writing sci-fi and advocating for public interest space policy.
Edward Strasser
Founder
Background: Always lived with and for politics – starting with the student council at school, after that from different perspectives – the inside, as an advisor, as a satisfied or disappointed citizen, but always with the mindset that things can be solved, it's only a question of how.
Areas of work: Strategy & business development, networking, partnerships – trying to learn about the rapid development of this sector as much as possible.
Random fact: Ran a software company once – would rather not do this again.
Raphaëlle Bres
Marketing Freelancer
Background: Worked in communications and marketing in the media industry, and for an anti-corruption NGO.
Areas of work: Anything related to online communications and marketing, from content to SEO and ads.
Random fact: Finally started to enjoy board games in 2021.
Mouna Massaoudi
Programme Assistant
Background: International Relations and Migration Studies
Areas of work: Copy editing articles on Democracy technologies and producing the Social Media content.
Random fact: Is left handed.
FAQ
Find out everything around and about Democracy Technologies
democracy-technologies.org
Democracy Technologies is an independent online magazine dedicated to digital tools developed to strengthen democracy. It was established to provide people working in politics and the democracy technology industry with in-depth information about new developments in the field of digital participation and deliberation, electronic voting, and other digital tools that improve political organisations.
Democracy-Technologies.org is a project of the Innovation in Politics Institute, a mission-driven company dedicated to strengthening democracy in Europe and beyond.
We are an independent, non-partisan team committed to keeping pace with the latest technological developments and best practice cases from around the world. Our diverse backgrounds, ranging from philosophy to social geometry, drive our commitment to empowering individuals in politics and the democracy technology industry.
See our team profiles above.
Our primary area of focus is on technology that is developed and/or applied with the direct aim of improving democracy. This includes these major topics:
- Digital deliberation and participation tools (e.g. online citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgets),
- Electronic voting (voting machines and online voting),
- Open Data and its role for democracy,
- AI and it’s impact on democracy as well as its democratic governance,
We cover technological developments in these areas as well as example use cases. Alongside regular articles, we feature “getting started” guides, industry news, interviews, and opinion pieces.
Our independently curated database contains a large selection of digital tools for citizen participation processes, i-voting, and political parties. You can filter your search by selecting specific parameters like region, software type, data functionality, and communication tools to find a range of tools suited to your needs.
No. We are not affiliated with any specific technology providers, nor do we provide reviews or otherwise evaluate specific tools. Our database is intended to give users an overview of the tools available and their intended functionalities.
We believe that digital tools have vast potential to improve democracy. As the range of these tools rapidly expands, it can be difficult to maintain an overview of the latest developments. What best practices have already been established around the world? What are the most promising prospects on the horizon? We also address broader issues confronting both technology developers and political professionals, such as: What ethical questions do these technologies raise? How can the industry be responsibly regulated? Our goal is to provide a practical and unbiased point of reference for everyone interested in emerging forms of digital democracy.
We welcome contributions from experts in the field, as well as freelance journalists. Our “Opinion” section regularly features guest articles where democracy technology professionals share their views and experiences.
If you are interested in contributing to our site as a freelance journalist or guest author, we would be happy to hear from you. Please send a brief abstract of your proposed article via the contact form. You can also request our guide for contributors.
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