Stories

Member Story
Shadows of the Past: How Soviet Inferiority Narratives Hinder Democracy in Moldova and Ukraine
Post-Soviet countries like Ukraine and Moldova are deeply influenced by inferiority narratives — pervasive beliefs of national inadequacy rooted in Soviet-era legacies. This article examines how these narratives shape...
IDC Theme of the Month
From Backsliding to Breakthrough: Civil Society as Democracy's Last Line of Defence
Democracy does not vanish overnight; instead, it erodes step by step. Authoritarianism grows in the cracks, but so does civic resistance. Around the world, civil society is proving that when democratic institutions weaken,...
Global
A Stronger EU for the World
In a world facing global challenges, how should the EU act on the global stage? Have your say and contribute...
Diverse group of people giving each other high five
Global
"I would, if the others too..." - The feeling of our...
People who recognise democracies and stand up for the rule of law are world citizens of all nations. As...
Global
What is the Future of Where?
Bill Fulton, a brilliant thinker on place and local governance, debuts a new Substack, "The Future of Where."
USA
ARCHIVE The Dangers of Unincorporated Communities
From the archive: a book looks at how a serial killer's location—a community that isn't a municipality—let...
USA
COLUMN These Pandas Want to Participate
The San Diego Zoo's new giant pandas suggest that non-citizens and non-humans should have democratic rights.
Global
'Best Practice in Citizen Participation'
40 finalists for the International Observatory of Participatory Democracy awards.
USA
ARCHIVE Why Local Food Vendors Belong in Prison Yards
An inmate writes about how food connects a town and its prison.
India
ADC: Voicing Out Through Local Votes
Despite suspicions of dirty tactics by central govenrment, Kashmir's voters went to the polls during...
USA
MAP Healthy Democracy Ecosystem
The first comprehensive look at the organizations working to improve democracy in the U.S.
Global
Democracy Isn't Declining. The Nation-State Is
Local democracy increases—and offers an answer to the faltering nation-state