CAMRI’s Anastasia Kavada contributes to European project on digital democracy

Image from INNOVADE on LinkedIn

Dr Anastasia Kavada was recently invited by the INNOVADE project to participate in its Living Lab in Paderborn, Germany, where she reflected on INNOVADE’s report on digital democracy.

Dr. Kavada joined a panel of international experts—including Berta Mizsei, Katarzyna Anna Klimowicz, and Klaus Unterberger—to discuss how digital media can be used to address the current threats to democracy at a time of widespread democratic backsliding.

Reflecting on the event, she noted on LinkedIn:

“Thank you to the INNOVADE project for inviting me to Paderborn last week to reflect on their report on digital democracy. Our discussions focused on how digital media can be used to address current threats to democracy—an urgent topic at a time of democratic backsliding. My contribution to this discussion drew on my thinking on how care ethics can inform public discussion on social media.”

Her cited paper, “The Caring Public Sphere: Reframing the Concept in an Era of Care Crises,” brings the classic idea of the public sphere into dialogue with feminist theories of care. It argues that democratic deliberation should not only be about rational debate, but also about listening, vulnerability, and interdependence—core aspects of caring relationships. Kavada’s approach highlights how care ethics can help reimagine social media and digital spaces as environments that nurture empathy, mutual responsibility, and meaningful participation.

Funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe, INNOVADE (Innovative Democracy through Digitalisation) explores how digital tools can foster more inclusive and participatory forms of governance. Its Living Labs bring together citizens, policymakers, and experts to co-create practical digital solutions that strengthen civic engagement and democratic dialogue.

Learn more about the INNOVADE project: https://innovade-democracy.eu/events/living-lab-2