Stories

Vörå (Finland)
Letter From Vörå: The Song and Sauna of Local Democracy
A song from Finland's Swedish-speaking and oft-divided region goes to the Eurovision contest
The United Nations
A call to democratic imagination: why we need Global Citizens’ Assemblies
The world is at a turning point. As crises mount — from climate breakdown to technological disruption and growing authoritarianism — our systems of global governance are not stepping up to the task. We are trying to solve solving...
Georgia
20 Days in the Caucasus
Inspiring struggles for democracy in lands of conflict.
Photo Credit: George M. Groutas via Flickr CC BY 2.0 Deed
Global
What is 'Smart Democracy'?
Also: how to meet me; summer school, vampires, comparing French and Nepali towns
Spain
Citizen Power in Action: A Legislative Initiative for Migrant Rights...
A current citizen initiative in Spain (Iniciativa Legislativa Popular, or ILP in its Spanish terminology) has...
Germany
My Local Ballot Is Too Big!
What to do about voter confusion? Here's a tool.
Art Credit; Public domain via Wikimedia.
Global
Dracula Talks Democracy
'Democracy and vampires have much in common' says 600-year-old count
Italy
I Wrote the Magna Carta
And You Can Too, Democracy Cities!
Syria
The Revolution in Northern Syria
An extraordinary magazine story on the enduring but unlikely feminist revolution in and around Rojava
Photo credit: Budapest, by Jorge Fraganillo, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 Deed
Global
Cities Carry Torch of Democracy
In Europe, progressive cities such as Budapest, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Lausanne work to counteract autocrats...
India
Valley of Silent Screams
Rights violations in communities of Kashmir
Hong Kong
How Security Law Puts Us at Risk
Article 23, the new security law, tramples rights and daily life in Hong Kong