Who We Are
The Digital Democracies Institute at Simon Fraser University is a group of diverse scholars and stakeholders from around the world who collaborate across disciplines, schools, industry, and public sectors to research and create vibrant democratic technologies and cultures. We are led by Canada 150 Research Chair in New Media, Wendy Hui Kyong Chun. Learn more about the core team.
What We do
We integrate research in the humanities and data sciences to address questions of equality and social justice. Our work aims to combat the proliferation of online “echo chambers,” abusive language, discriminatory algorithms and mis/disinformation, by fostering critical and creative user practices, and alternative paradigms for connection. Learn more about our research projects.
Why
A range of disciplines provides rich perspectives on democracy’s ideals and practices in the Internet age. Yet, despite the best efforts of specialists in various disciplines and sectors, the problems of misinformation, radicalization, echo chambers, and abusive language persist. A lack of communication across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries means that insights into these problems may be replicated and not shared, and solutions that may depend on insights from another discipline may not be considered. In addition, the lack of a common vocabulary inhibits the development of shared theoretical frameworks and solutions. The Digital Democracies Institute aims to bridge this gap through interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge mobilization.
Where
Our Lab is physically housed at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, where its School of Communication is consistently considered the top Communication program in Canada. Our partnerships and collaborations span across Western and Eastern Canada, the United States, Europe, and New Zealand.