Innovations in Democracy Webinar Series
More Voices, Fairer Outcomes? The Promise of Citizen Assemblies
Register today.What happens when everyday people, reflective of the broader public, are brought together to deliberate complex issues?
This session examines citizen assemblies as an innovation in how decisions are made, showing how structured discussions can elevate diverse perspectives, build shared understanding, and lead to more widely supported outcomes.
About this webinar series
The Declaration of Independence launched a bold experiment in democratic self-governance 250 years ago. As new challenges test public trust, civic participation, and representation, a new wave of nonpartisan democratic innovations is emerging to continue reimagining democracy for our country’s next chapter.
This webinar series is designed for faculty, staff, and students at AASCU institutions, offering practical insight into how these innovations connect to teaching, learning, and campus engagement. Each session explores approaches to strengthening democracy—such as new primary election systems, citizen deliberation, and participatory technologies—that seek to increase access to information and participation, improve decision-making, and close the gap between what people want and what the government does.
Participants will gain tools to help students think critically about democratic systems, opportunities to integrate real-world civic innovations into coursework, and ideas for fostering more engaged campus communities.
Who should attend:
- Faculty looking to bring contemporary political innovations into courses, assignments, and classroom discussion
- Student affairs and civic engagement staff designing programs that strengthen student participation, dialogue, and public problem-solving
- Students interested in democracy, public service, civic technology, election reform, deliberation, or community engagement
- Campus leaders seeking nonpartisan approaches to building trust, participation, and civic learning across the institution
Benefits of participation:
- Gain an understanding of emerging political innovations and how they can be discussed in a nonpartisan campus context
- Connect real-world examples of election reform, citizen deliberation, and participatory technology to teaching, learning, and student engagement
- Gain practical ideas for helping students evaluate democratic systems and decision-making
- Leave with examples and resources that can inform coursework, campus programming, dialogue initiatives, and civic learning efforts
Other webinars in this Series
Aug. 19, 2026
1:00PM-2:00PM ET
Webinar
Register today.Oct. 15, 2026
1:00PM-2:00PM ET
Webinar
Register today.About Innovations in Democracy
This summer, AASCU has selected a grant-funded cohort for faculty and staff to build knowledge of democratic innovations and apply their learning through action-oriented student projects.
Program Partner
