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joannacm.bsky.social
PhD Candidate, deliberative mini publics and public opinion @ McMaster University, Canada. London expat. She/Her. Current: Vox Pop Labs | Former: MASS LBP, The RSA
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How the Toronto Region Board of Trade got lost in traffic. My Toronto Star column on their terrible congestion task force report & how they’ve lost their way of late. $billions on a 401 tunnel? Where’s the rational business people now? www.thestar.com/news/gta/how...

This story just sums up the state of the world in 2025. BP announced it's cutting renewable energy investmnets, instead focusing on increasing oil and gas production - because some investors are unhappy its profits and share price are lower than rivals. www.bbc.com/news/article...

EPSR early view: Kübler and Rochat on "Nonparticipation in democratic assemblies: factors, reasons, and suggestions." www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

This whole article is bleak, but the figure is especially shocking. Excellent stuff from @thelocal.to thelocal.to/ontario-post... #onpoli

Exciting post delivery! Looking forward to getting stuck into the articles, inc from @pspada.bsky.social @alexmgeisler.bsky.social and others. Thank you @imprintacademic.bsky.social // find out more at imprint.co.uk/product/jos

One thing I love about @criterion.bsky.social: you can watch the full credits. There’s no “if you liked that, you may also like…” immediate pop-up ad as soon as the credits hit.

NEW POST: Anti-DEI activists believe a 'neutral,' merit-based status quo was disrupted by 'wokeness'. It never existed. emmettmacfarlane.substack.com/p/anti-dei-a...

Great article from @sheluchin.bsky.social on meme coins, campaign financing, and potential impact on 🇨🇦 "While these coins may seem like a joke or a new way to engage with politics, the absence of proper regulations could leave political supporters vulnerable to exploitation for financial gain."

Just a few days left to apply for this. Deadline is Friday 31 January...

💡 Great article in @bjpols.bsky.social on local newspapers & political polarization: ... "we demonstrate that local newspaper exits increase electoral polarization. [...] following local news exits, consumers substitute local news with national tabloid news." www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

✨ ICYMI ✨ 🤓 Our January Newsletter dropped this morning! This month, we talk about the launch of #ParticipediaSchool2025, our next #TeachingCafé, recent publications, and more. Click the 🔗 to give it a read: mailchi.mp/participedia... 📧 And don’t forget to subscribe! Happy reading! 📰

With one clarification: abortions are sometimes needed for reasons other than saving a life, and that is also valid

Important question: when and which political parties lie? This new publication is pretty clear in its findings: radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation. Based on an analysis of 32 million tweets in 26 countries. doi.org/10.1177/1940...

Fresh from @joannacm.bsky.social and me: a look at how setting up embedded, ongoing democratic innovations - rather than just occasionally dipping our toes into the waters of innovation - could help better connect policy makers and the public, incorporating findings from our recent article in CJPS.

Encouraging politicians to act on climate: A field experiment with local officials in six countries. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

My book review for @delibdemjournal.bsky.social - I review six handbooks about running #deliberative processes from DemocracyNext, MosaicLab, newDemocracy and OECD Public Governance. See the review here: delibdemjournal.org/article/id/1... #polsky #deliberativedemocracy

Hi Bluesky! First post here and I'm excited to share my new project: CryptoCommons.ca 🇨🇦 -- a publicly accessible database that tracks & categorizes Canadian politicians' policy positions on digital currencies. The database includes all statements made in the House of Commons.

I wish there was an option like renew for ebooks at Toronto Public Library, where you could say “I’m over 90% through and will be done tonight! Just let me keep it one more day!”

🤩 The CfP for the 7th Deliberative Democracy Summer School is out now 🤩 A toast to our colleagues from the University of Zurich for hosting the European version of the summer school. Grants available for students with limited institutional support. www.ipz.uzh.ch/en/study/doc...

Delighted to announce a new (open access) paper the wonderful @meganmattes.bsky.social and me - Failure to Launch: Tracing the Trajectory of Democratic Innovation Adoption in Canada #polsky #demoinno www.cambridge.org/core/journal... (1/?)

Reports saying Trudeau is "considering prorogation or resignation" surely mean to say he is considering *both*. The only way a resignation would not cause absolute chaos is if it was timed with a prorogation, so that the Liberal caucus has time to select a new leader. 1/n

NEW: CycleToronto and other citizens have launched a Charter challenge of the Ford government's law to remove bike lanes. CT's executive director is not present at the Queen's Park announcement because... he was doored on Monday in a painted bike lane and is hospitalized.

New post on the McMaster website about a classroom workshop on getting young people involved in politics, organized through CIVDEM@Mac: socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/civdem-hosts...

Looking forward to presenting on this next week! (It's in-person only I'm afraid.)

“There was a time in Ontario when the provincial government focused on the really big issues. Clean air & water, intercity rail service, provincial parks, good education policy, effective hospital care. Not anymore. Ford's government is different.” - @tvotoday.bsky.social youtu.be/W4xhHI8KNww?...

We've made a starter pack of some people and organisations promoting public participation through sortition, deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies. Get following: go.bsky.app/7pp3mDu

Seems lots of new people joined Bluesky over the weekend, so I'm re-upping this starter pack I created of people working on democratic innovations for a more participatory and deliberative politics. Still room for others to be added, so give me a shout if I missed you. go.bsky.app/LX11yEA #polisky