Democratizing the City
Editorial Team
20. Oktober 2021
Three New Urban Progress fellows gave lightning talks at Innocracy, an annual conference about democratic innovation
Cities are dynamic networks brimming with social, economic and political life. Yet, how inclusive and reflective are these spaces of everyday peopleâs interests and needs? Several core aspects of modern urban life, specifically personal data, housing, and the effects of climate change can be improved by democratizing decision-making at the local and city level.
At Innocracy 2021, three New Urban Progress fellows gave “lightning talks” â short presentations of a key aspect of urban democratic practice. They gave concrete examples of how some of the most significant challenges to our societies can be met by cities â and the communities that reside in them. The session was moderated by New Urban Progress Steering Committee member Diego Rivas.
Rewatch the event:
About the speakers
- Victoria Boeck, Research Associate for Open Data at the Technologiestiftung Berlin.
- Julian St. Patrick Clayton, Deputy Director for Policy and Research at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods.
- Richard Lawrence Jr., Principal Planner at the city of Alexandria, Virginia.
- Diego Rivas (Moderator), Steering Committee Member, Project Manager at Das Progressive Zentrum.
About Innocracy 2021
This session was part of the Innocracy 2021. The annual conference assembles thinkers and doers who work on democratic innovations. This year’s edition, titled “Democratising Democracy”, focussed on identifying fields which are excluded or being removed from democratic control and on exploring whether and how (re-)democratising them could lead to a better future.
New Urban Progress is the joint metro initiative of Das Progressive Zentrum, the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft and the Progressive Policy Institute.
The project is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany and funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).
