The Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability (IDEA) is grounded in a simple idea:
When citizens and elected officials engage in civil, representative, and focused conversations, mutual respect grows, decisions improve, and democracy strengthens.
Amy Lee, Associate Director at IDEA, shares how her path from journalism and civic tech led to advancing deliberative democracy.
“We use rigorous science to make real-world impact not ideology.”
— Amy Lee
Lee helped develop Common Ground for Action and supports innovations like Deliberative Town Halls and Citizens’ Assemblies.
Bear spent six years with IDEA while completing his Ph.D., exploring how academic research can strengthen democracy.
“IDEA gave me a front-row seat to the challenges and possibilities of democratic dialogue.”
— Bear Brown
From supporting town halls to refining IRB proposals and research questions, he bridged public engagement and scholarship, gaining mentorship, funding, and a meaningful career path along the way. Read more →
Michael Neblo Named 2025 Distinguished Scholar
Michael Neblo has received The Ohio State University's 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award, one of the university’s highest honors. The award recognizes his global leadership in deliberative democracy and his impact in bridging theory and practice.
Amy Lee, Associate Director at IDEA, shares how her path from journalism and civic tech led to advancing deliberative democracy.
“We use rigorous science to make real-world impact not ideology.”
— Amy Lee
Lee helped develop Common Ground for Action and supports innovations like Deliberative Town Halls and Citizens’ Assemblies.
Bear spent six years with IDEA while completing his Ph.D., exploring how academic research can strengthen democracy.
“IDEA gave me a front-row seat to the challenges and possibilities of democratic dialogue.”
— Bear Brown
From supporting town halls to refining IRB proposals and research questions, he bridged public engagement and scholarship, gaining mentorship, funding, and a meaningful career path along the way. Read more →
Michael Neblo Named 2025 Distinguished Scholar
Michael Neblo has received The Ohio State University's 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award, one of the university’s highest honors. The award recognizes his global leadership in deliberative democracy and his impact in bridging theory and practice.
Kevin Kosar on Congress and Reform
IDEA hosted a two-day discussion series with Kevin Kosar, Senior Fellow at AEI and OSU alum. He spoke about congressional reform, public engagement, and the limits of social media in policymaking, urging students to engage more directly with democratic processes.
Back to Being Buckeyes After the Election
IDEA, in collaboration with the Chase Center and Listen.Learn.Discuss., hosted a post-election event on November 4 to help students shift from campaign intensity to civic healing. Faculty and student leaders shared reflections on civic friendship, historical resilience, and student responsibility.
Michael Neblo on Ohio’s Issue 1
Michael Neblo was featured in The Lantern discussing Ohio’s ballot initiative to create a citizen-led redistricting commission. He reflected on the challenges of public accountability and the need for expertise in drawing fair electoral boundaries.
Kevin Kosar on Congress and Reform
IDEA hosted a two-day discussion series with Kevin Kosar, Senior Fellow at AEI and OSU alum. He spoke about congressional reform, public engagement, and the limits of social media in policymaking, urging students to engage more directly with democratic processes.
Back to Being Buckeyes After the Election
IDEA, in collaboration with the Chase Center and Listen.Learn.Discuss., hosted a post-election event on November 4 to help students shift from campaign intensity to civic healing. Faculty and student leaders shared reflections on civic friendship, historical resilience, and student responsibility.
Michael Neblo on Ohio’s Issue 1
Michael Neblo was featured in The Lantern discussing Ohio’s ballot initiative to create a citizen-led redistricting commission. He reflected on the challenges of public accountability and the need for expertise in drawing fair electoral boundaries.
Ryan Kennedy Joins IDEA Leadership
IDEA welcomes Ryan Kennedy as Associate Director of Research Operations. A former OSU alum and longtime collaborator on Deliberative Town Halls, Dr. Kennedy returns with deep expertise in data analytics, political science, and public policy.
Michael Neblo, Co-Chair at APSA 2024
Michael Neblo participated in the 120th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association with Dr. Danielle Allen of Harvard University. He led a roundtable on democratic innovation and presented new findings on public deliberation.
Ryan Kennedy Joins IDEA Leadership
IDEA welcomes Ryan Kennedy as Associate Director of Research Operations. A former OSU alum and longtime collaborator on Deliberative Town Halls, Dr. Kennedy returns with deep expertise in data analytics, political science, and public policy.
Michael Neblo, Co-Chair at APSA 2024
Michael Neblo participated in the 120th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association with Dr. Danielle Allen of Harvard University. He led a roundtable on democratic innovation and presented new findings on public deliberation.