Blog

Democracy: doing it for ourselves
Rich Wilson Rich Wilson

Democracy: doing it for ourselves

On 15 November, we were invited to Nesta to speak on whether citizens' assemblies can pave the way for the future of democracy. Knowledge and Practice lead Claire Mellier was joined by Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics and visiting Professor at King’s College London, Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at The Financial Times, and the event was chaired by Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy.

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Getting Real About Citizens’ Assemblies: A New Theory of Change for Citizens’ Assemblies
Sarah Whitley Sarah Whitley

Getting Real About Citizens’ Assemblies: A New Theory of Change for Citizens’ Assemblies

Rich Wilson and Claire Mellier explore there is a pressing need to address how citizens’ assemblies should navigate the complex world of politics to drive meaningful change. Written for European Democracy Hub, this article proposes a new theory of change, involving diverse tactics, active citizen engagement, and broadening the scope of assembly influence.

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A Global Citizens’ Assembly on the Climate and Ecological Crisis
Rich Wilson Rich Wilson

A Global Citizens’ Assembly on the Climate and Ecological Crisis

The 2021 Global Assembly was an attempt to create a citizen-led governance chamber that connected institutions, civil society, and grassroots communities. Rich Wilson and Claire Mellier argue that making this format permanent would allow global citizens to be actively involved in long-term decisions on climate change.

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Getting Climate Citizens’ Assemblies Right
Rich Wilson Rich Wilson

Getting Climate Citizens’ Assemblies Right

Written for Carnegie Europe, Rich Wilson and Claire Mellier explore how climate assemblies can help unlock more effective action against climate change, but emphasise that improvements are needed in how they are run.

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Join the World’s First Global Citizens’ Climate Assembly for COP26
Rich Wilson Rich Wilson

Join the World’s First Global Citizens’ Climate Assembly for COP26

Originally written for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, CEO of Iswe and Global Assembly co-founder, Rich Wilson, explores how citizens assemblies can create solutions to contentious issues. From waste management in Brazil, constitutional reform in Mongolia, and famously, abortion in Ireland.

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Defibrillating Democracy
Rich Wilson Rich Wilson

Defibrillating Democracy

Published for the New International, CEO of Iswe and Global Assembly co-founder, Rich Wilson, and Knowledge and Practice Lead Claire Mellier, explain how citizens’ assemblies have the potential to restart the beating heart of democracy.

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