Centre For The Study Of Democratic Institutions (Csdi)

The Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI) is part of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Directed by Professor Heidi Tworek, it aims to advance interdisciplinary publicly-engaged research, teaching, and dissemination of ideas and knowledge about innovation in democratic practice and institutions. CSDI leads and participates in projects at the local (BC), national (Canada), and international levels. CSDI takes an evidence-based and collaborative approach to strengthening and rethinking democracy in a digital age. We convene academics, students, civil society organizations, and public officials to galvanize inclusive conversations and action on democracy. We put on events in person and online. We publish a wide variety of material from policy reports to academic scholarship. Our interdisciplinary work seeks to: Understand the past; Analyze the present; Train for the future. CSDI is currently focused on two main themes. First, we focus on platforms and media. Over the last decades, social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok have played a major role in shaping public discourse and politics. We take an interdisciplinary approach to examine how the rise of platforms and other trends in online communication affect democracy, and to consider potential paths for policy reform. We explore the history of power relations in global media. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to explore how online platforms affect citizens and democratic functioning. Our second focus is health. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted again the importance of politics and democratic institutions for public health responses. We investigate possibilities for dedemocratic communication in public health, and challenges such as misinformation and social inequities. We are particularly interested in communications during pandemics, though we are also pursuing projects on post-infection syndromes.