Designing for Democracy

How should we "fix" digital technologies to support democracy instead of undermining it? In Designing for Democracy, Jennifer Forestal argues that accurately evaluating the democratic potential of digital spaces means studying how the built environment--a primary component of our "modern public square"--structures our activity, shapes our attitudes, and supports the kinds of relationships and behaviors democracy requires. Drawing from a wide range of disciplines, she argues that "democratic spaces" must be designed with three environmental characteristics that, taken together, afford users the ability to engage in fundamental civic practices. In connecting the built environment, digital technologies, and democratic theory, Designing for Democracy provides blueprints for democracy in a digital age.