Host Roger Berkowitz and Philip Lindsay, leader of the Democracy Innovation Hub at the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, discuss the role of Citizen Assemblies in rejuvenating democracy. Highlighting examples from Ireland and Fort Collins, Colorado, they explain the process and benefits of assemblies, including enhanced citizen engagement and better policy outcomes, emphasizing their potential to bring diverse perspectives together for collaborative decision-making.

The Democracy Innovation Hub is excited to launch a monthly drop-in webinar series that operates like a reading group, but with short videos followed by discussion. Each one hour session, starting in February 2026, will include one ten minute video from our free online Democracy Innovation Academy. This is not a formal college course - it's a drop-in academy and networking opportunity for those hoping to learn more, or to connect with organizations, practitioners, or facilitators. How do assemblies fit into the history of democracy and the American republic? How do climate assemblies work? What does a permanent assembly look like? Join us for this short course featuring 12 videos on the history of citizen assemblies and sortition. Sign up here.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:34 Reflections on Current Events
00:54 Hope and Inspiration from Minneapolis
02:23 Introducing Phil Lindsay and the Democracy Innovation Hub
03:42 The Concept of Citizens Assemblies
07:00 The Process and Impact of Citizens Assemblies
16:22 Examples of Successful Citizens Assemblies
26:10 Educational Initiatives and Future Plans
36:24 Conclusion 
Philip leads the Democracy Innovation Hub where he runs workshops for public servants and educators on citizens' assemblies and participatory democracy. Before joining the Hannah Arendt Center, Philip helped run a small community health center in NYC for immigrant communities. He has a BA in Latin American Studies from Temple University, where he focused on political economy and social movements. He spent a year in Germany as a Congress-Bundestag (CBYX) Fellow focusing on the politics of climate change. In his free time, he enjoys organizing intimate concerts and building community through the arts.