Roisin Markham

Finally, it’s emerged. Things I have been thinking about for 2-3 years – data centres, democracy, public voice. Having a good respectful public conversation, a discourse that’s healthy and about controversial subjects.

For a few years I’ve been suggesting that we need this broad open debate, when I talk about it people get really engaged. I’ve been hoping someone else would have run with it but those I’ve shared my view points with seem to think it’s mine to do.

I think it’s ours to do.

So with all kinds of noticing, enquiry, looking. I’m offering a new type of approach.

On democracy as murmuration
We shape the whole in attending to what’s near.
Like starlings listening sideways, our trajectory responds—
finding commonality and coherence.
Here, we do not amplify noise.
Our public voice—
not as performance,
but as belonging. 

Last year I came across Aubrey Tang and vTwain, Pol.is and a deliberate democracy practice that builds on commonality not conflict.

I’ve been waiting to see it in flight here in Ireland. Waiting… someone is bound to be loading it. I reached out to other fans and academics, sure to discover it being tested…

Is anyone using it? Not that I can find.

So here it is. A prototyping pilot project.

I’ve begun emailing it out. Let’s see what happens.

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in the development of this idea I’ve come back again and again to living in a democracy

• what does it mean to live in a democracy
• do we know what being democratic means
• are we practicing democracy everywhere
• how do we learn how to do all that

Living in a democracy is not just about voting every 3-5 years, although that’s an important part.

Tell me, what does it mean to you to live in a democracy?

Is it still true that democracy is the fabric of civil society?

During economic literacy sessions introducing doughnut economics I specifically mention public voice, it’s part of the social foundation. Public voice is about using our voices within civic society. We must strengthen that. It’s a weak signal in Ireland right now, we have 3-4 years till the next election cycle and I would like to see Ireland in a strengthened democracy.

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You can read more about the project, the connection to starlings (druid in Irish) on the dedicated project page:

Shared Ground: Ireland’s Civic Listening Pilot