About IDEA
The Institute for Democratic Engagement & Accountability (IDEA) is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary research institute with a global network of collaborators and partners. IDEA has over sixteen years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating evidenced-based solutions for reviving democracy around the world. IDEA works with all levels of government to recruit, connect, and support elected officials to implement democratic innovations. Our work transforms political frustration felt by citizens and elected officials into motivation for change. Citizens who participate feel respected, especially those on the margins. This rebuilds trust, efficacy, hope, and a sense of common purpose. Leaders who partner with IDEA can hear from the missing voices in their constituencies and learn what they need to set priorities and craft effective responses.
IDEA’s research uses scientifically rigorous, democratic innovations including digital Deliberative Town Halls (DTHs), Common Ground for Action, Every Voice Engaged, Citizen’s Assemblies and hybrid models.
Our flagship innovation, Deliberative Town Halls (DTHs) are a scalable, adaptable, and scientifically proven method to reinforce older institutions. Using our toolkit, we partner with elected officials around the world to bring about impactful, positive changes to the political process.
Our Mission
IDEA strives to further the mission of a great land-grant university whose motto is “Education for Citizenship.”We conduct impact-inspired basic research designed to contribute simultaneously to knowledge and to the public good. We engage our campus, local, state, national, and international communities to promote more inclusive and productive communication among citizens, and between citizens and government officials. Rather than trying to lead or speak for people, we encourage, support, and amplify informed, equitable, and effective political participation and deliberation across difference. We cultivate and augment the norms and institutions of representative democracy now, and invest in future generations.
National
IDEA is an established innovator in connecting citizens with their nationally elected officials for deliberative, useful conversations. Our Connecting to Congress (C2C) research initiative focuses on working with Members of Congress and congressional committees to implement Deliberative Town Halls. Since its founding in 2006, C2C been used with over 30 Members of Congress from both houses and parties.
Learn more about our national research projects
IDEA also uses democratic innovations to support citizen-to-citizen, or “horizontal” deliberative forums to help elected officials make policy through the Every Voice Engaged online platform and our novel Common Ground for Action forum - that allows citizens to deliberate about various options on a tough issue together, weigh tradeoffs, and visually see where they have common ground. IDEA facilitates deliberative sessions on policy issues and then evaluates and analyzes the results to report back to policymakers and elected officials.
International
IDEA adapts its democratic innovations to work in the varying political, social and cultural contexts around the world. IDEA has worked with elected officials in Nigeria, Chile, Australia, and the United Kingdom to implement democratic innovations that positively impact citizens’ experiences with government and elected officials’ ability to learn information.
Learn more about our international research projects
IDEA is committed to increasing knowledge sharing among elected officials and networking for regional government officials and civil society leaders, media organizations, citizens, and non-governmental organizations. Through our Global Innovations In Democracy event we facilitate a network of practitioners who are ready and willing to support the use of democratic innovations and expand the reach of our well-tested toolkits.
On Campus
As a part of The Ohio State University, IDEA is dedicated to creating and discovering knowledge to improve the well-being of our local, state, regional, national and global communities. IDEA works to do this in three ways, generating knowledge about American political institutions, with a special emphasis on elections; fostering high quality political dialogue; and furthering the university’s mission to "prepare a diverse student body to be leaders and engaged citizens."
Learn about our preparing engaged citizens projects