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Democracy Works: From Political Crisis to Profound Change

Last week, we heard from Andrew Sullivan about the challenges facing the future of democracy in the United States and around the world. This week's episode offers a glimpse into what can happen when a country emerges from a political crisis with stronger democratic practices in place.

About 10 years ago, Ireland found itself facing an economic recession, distrust in government, and polarization about how to move forward. Our guests this week, David Farrell and Jane Suiter, proposed using deliberative democracy to bring citizens and politicians closer together. The approach worked, and it's garnered attention from other places around the world who want to do the same thing.

Farrell and Suiter are the winners of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy's 2019 Brown Democracy Medal, which recognizes new and innovative work in democracy. We are now seeking nominations for next year's medal; please email democracyinst@psu.edu if you know someone who might be a good fit.

Jenna Spinelle is the Communications Specialist for the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. She is responsible for shaping all of the institute's external communication, including website content, social media, multimedia, and media outreach.
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