Civic Engagement

Digital technologies have enabled new forms of civic participation. This has created both opportunities (e.g. social movements) and challenges (e.g. misinformation). At the same time, physical spaces still play a critical role in bringing people together to engage in meaningful dialogue and action for their communities. This research explores the potential for integrating digital technologies and face-to-face interaction in ways that amplify the benefits of both types of experiences and mitigate their deficits. Our aim is to create new forms of civic participation that engage diverse voices, deepen engagement, and lead to more representative and meaningful action.

• How do people use digital and physical spaces to engage on civic issues?
• What attributes of different types of spaces (digital and physical) encourage productive dialogue and action across deeply different viewpoints?
• How do these experiences influence the nature of civic participation at the individual, community, and network levels?

Projects

Featured Outputs

People & Organizations