About IDEA
The Institute for Democratic Engagement & Accountability (IDEA) is a collaborative, multidisciplinary research institute at The Ohio State University with a global network of partners. For two decades, we have designed, implemented, and evaluated evidence-based solutions for reviving democracy at every level of government, across the United States and around the world.
We are grounded in a simple idea: when citizens and elected officials engage in civil, representative, and focused conversations, mutual respect grows, decisions improve, and democracy gets stronger.
From research to democratic practice
IDEA turns research on democracy into practical ways for citizens and decision-makers to engage with one another. Our flagship method, the Deliberative Town Hall, brings a representative group of citizens into a focused, informed conversation with their elected officials.
Over the past two decades, IDEA has conducted more than 50 Deliberative Town Halls in the United States and internationally, with projects in countries including Nigeria, Malawi, the United Kingdom, Chile, and Australia. Across these settings, IDEA tests how representative, informed conversations can strengthen the relationship between citizens and decision-makers.
One approach, across different settings
IDEA works across three settings: international democracies, the U.S. Congress and the communities it serves, and The Ohio State University and Ohio. Across these programs, IDEA studies and applies deliberative approaches in different political, institutional, and community settings.
Working across these contexts allows IDEA to test how democratic innovations can be adapted to different populations, institutions, and public challenges while maintaining a common commitment to representative, informed, and meaningful citizen engagement.
“How I wish Deliberative Town Halls had been available when I served in Congress. This process could begin to restore America’s trust in its government and representatives’ accountability to their constituents.”
— Rep. Deborah Pryce, Ohio’s 15th District
Grounded in research
IDEA’s work is built on two decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed research spanning deliberative democracy, political behavior, public opinion, political communication, and democratic innovation. Our researchers use field experiments, randomized studies, surveys, and other methods to understand how citizens engage with one another and with democratic institutions.
IDEA scholars have published their research in leading journals including Science, the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Political Communication, as well as books published by Cambridge University Press.
This research does more than evaluate individual programs. It helps IDEA test new approaches, understand what works and under what conditions, and continually refine the ways we study and strengthen democratic engagement.
Explore IDEA’s publications and resources
Our research shows that Deliberative Town Halls can:
- Increase voting and strengthen trust in government
- Reduce polarization and deepen mutual respect
- Reach large audiences through online deliberation
- Engage citizens who often feel left out of politics
Deliver meaningful engagement at a lower cost than many traditional alternatives
Mission & Vision
IDEA works to strengthen democracy by creating more meaningful, representative, and informed connections between citizens and decision-makers. Learn more about the mission, values, and long-term vision that guide our research and programs.