May’s Marvellous Open Submission Calls

Extra Info on this call

Governance: What does a high-tech democracy look like? What does it mean for you, your family, community, or our planet? How can we reform elections, their mechanisms and instruments, for equal and fair participation? Who gets to define or be a citizen? How often should “elections” be held? Daily? Weekly? Why not? How are we going to ensure accountability, quality of service and performance? Internet Technologies: What does the world look like where the Internet technologies and social media work to build and strengthen democracy, democratic institutions, spirit and culture? How can we build an Internet which doesn’t need to rely on hate-bots, disinformation campaigns, ad-wares and surveillance/trackers? Is the Internet of the future multilingual, anonymous and free — a universal basic right? Healthcare: In a truly democratic society, is healthcare free, open-source, universal and accessible to everyone? If yes, in such a society, what noble quest — hard/wicked social, environmental or medical problems — are people trying to solve? Environment: How can private technologies and crowd-sourced initiatives stop climate change, protect wildlife, and save the ocean in a more democratic and just world? Education: Take us to a future democracy, where every child and adult has the same level of access to education/information. Show us a world where “enlightenment” or “self-actualization” and “transcendence” are within everyone’s reach! Law & Order: Is your future society sans police or prison? What does the future of law and order, also the prison system, look like in your democratic world? Economy: What does a truly democratic economy look like? No-money Star Trek economy? Community-owned farms, cities, or seasteads? In the future, do we still have to “make a living” or are we living in a post-work / basic-income society where everyone’s basic needs are taken care of by the government? To sum up, we want bold new visions of democracy that incorporate the power and potential of digital technologies while mitigating the dangers. The potential is huge – new forms of communication, citizen input, transparency, and accountability can lead to a renaissance in what democracy means, how it functions, and who is included.