Strengthening democracy with digital innovations
In an age where digital media is often blamed for fueling polarization and enabling surveillance, this dissertation explores a different story: how technology can strengthen democracy. It focuses on Digital Democratic Innovations (DDIs) — online platforms and tools designed to let citizens take part in political decision-making.
Rather than looking only at the risks of digital tools, this research asks how they might be used to promote democratic values and foster active citizen participation. Drawing from real-world examples, the thesis argues that DDIs can make citizen engagement more inclusive, transparent, and meaningful.
The analysis is structured around four core themes. First, it explores how DDIs can foster more equal deliberation, particularly when it is supported by AI facilitation. Second, it looks at how DDIs can promote inclusiveness by lowering barriers to citizen participation and including marginalized voices. Third, it examines the potential of DDIs to build mutual political trust between citizens and decision-makers, especially by increasing transparency. Finally, it considers how digital tools can help nurture democratic virtues — like open-mindedness, critical thinking or commitment to equality — among citizens.
While acknowledging challenges such as algorithmic bias, privacy concerns, and unequal access to technologies, this dissertation argues that well-designed DDIs can align with core democratic values and help build inclusive and genuinely participatory democracies in the digital age.