Comments?

This website is a work in progress. If you have comments, positive, negative or otherwise, please contact me at brendan@brendanmiller.com.

 

My blog

You can read my blog, which contains periodic random musings. You can also subscribe to my Atom feed and get updates automatically when I make them! (This requires a newsreader. Look here for information.)

 

Barn Raising

The image chosen for this site is people involved in a community barn raising. Barn raising, along with acequia associations in the Southwest, is probably the quintessential model of democratic development. It involves the whole community in building an important community asset that could not otherwise have been built, strengthening relationships and norms of reciprocity. Later, the completed barn will serve the community in a variety of ways, often including hosting community meetings, dances and other events.

 

Democratic Development

Democratically building, Building democracy

"Democratic development" is the rebuilding of our democracy through the rebuilding our communities. Inspired by the "barn raisings" of the past, democratic development seeks to capture their spirit and purpose. There are at least four related objectives that are part of my underlying intention:

  • Redeveloping our cities, suburbs and towns so that the built environment upholds a high standard of beauty and quality, integrates harmoniously with the natural world, and fosters a sense of community and civic engagement
  • Stimulating democratic innnovation that advances our understanding of how to practice deep democracy and co-create our future together, producing a caring, joyful and vibrant experience of community, and results that reflect our highest aspirations
  • Understanding what it means to be good citizens in a global era, as individuals and communities. This includes developing sustainably, staying mindful of the impact we have on others, whether they be next door or half way around the world
  • And ultimately, doing the work necessary to revitalize democracy in the US and abroad, one community at a time

The Democratic Development Cycle Every democratic development project cultivates community and democratic capacity in their design and process. Although it is not depicted in this simple cycle, it is very important to remember the important role economics plays as well. Economic power cannot be divorced from political power. Democratic development must involve local financing and reinvestment. We must also begin to grapple with what it means to be good citizens as individuals and communities in an era of rapid globalization and change. Read more...


Projects

There is no one way to work towards the intention of democratic development. If you are looking for more concrete example projects, including current and past projects, read more here...


How?

How can we accomplish projects like these and advance democratic development? You can read more about a possible theory of change and a catalog of tools, techniques and technologies that provide part of the answer. here...


Related ideas and initiatives

Democratic development is a concept that is a melding of a variety of other concepts, models and initiatives. There are a number of closely related ideas and initiatives out there. See below for some examples and sources of inspiration for the idea. Read more...more