Representation

Vote Smart

On this site you can check out elected representatives in the USA, who they are and how they are dealing with various issues.

www.vote-smart.org/

Democracy Net

On Democracy Net you can look for your representatives and see how they measure up to what they promised.

www.dnet.org/

The Center for Voting and Democracy

The Center for Voting and Democracy is a voluntary society concerned with improving voting procedures. This it does through research, instruction and information about different electoral procedures.

www.fairvote.org/

International IDEA

International statistics about electoral systems, participation in elections, reading ability, etc. The site is maintained by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an international organization whose aim is to work towards global democracy.

www.idea.int

Information

The Citizenship Foundation

The Citizenship Foundation in England aims at educating people to become enlightened citizens. It principally offers courses to young people.

www.citfou.org.uk/

Democracy Watch

Democracy Watch works with citizens and organizations in order to strengthen the role of citizens in Canada.

www.dwatch.ca/

Debate

The Canadian Policy Research Network

The Canadian Policy Research Network is a voluntary organization concerned that seeks to be a neutral platform for public discussion of social questions. The aim is to strengthen democracy by encouraging discussion between politicians and ordinary citizens.

www.cprn.org/cprn.html

The Netherlands Design Institute

The Netherlands Design Institute has expanded the field of design to cover almost everything - not least public space. To develop this space, new forms of boundary-crossing collaboration are developed and ordinary citizens are an important aspect of the project.

www.design-inst.nl/

Thinktanks

Demos

American thinktank on how democracy can be strengthened.

www.demos-usa.org

Demos

British thinkthank and research organization that is, for example, concerned with how democracy can be invigorated. Promotes the ideas of the third way and is thought to have influenced Tony BlairÕs policies.

www.demos.co.uk

The Center for the Study of Democracy

The Center for the Study of Democracy is an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to democratic values and a market economy. It claims to be an independent organization but the aim is to promote reform in Bulgaria.

www.csd.bg/

Lobbyism

The Center for Democracy and Technology

The Center for Democracy and Technology works at spreading democratic values and protecting the integrity of individuals in the digital era. They monitor various issues and lobby to protect freedom of speech and personal integrity in global communications.

www.cdt.org

Speak Out

A north American activist centre that gives advice on influencing politicians on various issues. There are debates between people who are for and against abortion, groups concerned with homosexual rights and people for and against gun control.

www.speakout.com/takeaction/

PR Watch

PR Watch provides studies of the PR industry. The organization tries to help people to recognize manipulative and misleading PR strategies by exposing the hidden methods employed by PR organizations.

www.prwatch.org/