Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions

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Exciting news! 🎉 CSDI Director Dr. @HeidiTworek has been appointed Associate Editor of the journal Business History! Her expertise in global history, media, and platform governance will bring innovative perspectives to this leading publication. Read more:linkedin.com/feed/update/ur…

🌍 2024 saw half the world’s population voting. What did we learn about tech’s role in elections? Our final piece in the @CIGIonline series explores key trends, from AI in campaigns to platform regulations, and what lies ahead for democracy. 📖 Read now: cigionline.org/articles/much-…

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Season’s Greetings from all of us at CSDI! ❄️🎄 Thank you for supporting our work this year. Wishing you joy this holiday season and a New Year filled with peace and progress.

We are excited to welcome Olivia to the CSDI! A Bachelor of International Relations student at UBC, she has worked for Health Canada on federal policy making and national health. Olivia is excited to explore the best project management strategies tailored for the Centre's needs.

We are excited to welcome Connor to the CSDI! A Master's student @ubcSPPGA with a degree from @uvic in History and Professional Communication, he has worked in public health communication and researching digital information systems, including with the BC CDC and PHABC.

New job! This Fellow will contribute to a multi-year research project on online health communication. Suitable candidates will hold a PhD in communication, political science, psychology, public policy, history, public health, or related field. Learn more: sppga.ubc.ca/news/postdocto…

Read John Osae-Kwapong's piece in the latest article in our @CIGIonline Tech in Elections series. cigionline.org/articles/what-…

🇬🇭 How will technology impact Ghana's December 7 election? CIGI highlights the dual role of tech in politics: a platform for disinformation and a tool to counter it. Public digital literacy will be key for fighting fake news and empowering the public. cigionline.org/articles/ghana…

“Disinformation thrives in an information vacuum,” said CSDI Director @HeidiTworek at the @VIPSSummit. She urged “pre-bunking” falsehoods, improving media literacy, and regulating platforms to protect democracy. Learn more: bowenislandundercurrent.com/highlights/sec…

What can history teach us about the power of media and tech? In the latest @_policyprompt episode for @CIGIonline, CSDI Director @HeidiTworek explores how early 20th-century communications shaped global politics—and what it means for today’s digital challenges. 🎧Listen now:

We’re proud of her remarkable achievements and contributions to democratic institutions and media studies. Read: research.ubc.ca/rsc-2024-colle…

Recognized for her groundbreaking research in communications history and media policy, Dr. Tworek joins an esteemed group of scholars, artists, and scientists shaping Canada’s future.

🎉Congratulations to CSDI Director Dr. @HeidiTworek on her induction into the Royal Society of Canada (@src_rsc) as a 2024 Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists! Watch: youtube.com/watch?v=rRoOU_…

With President-elect Trump returning to the White House, what’s next for US tech policy? From content moderation to AI and antitrust, the impact could be major. Read more on the potential direction of tech policy under Trump via @techpolicypress: techpolicy.press/where-us-tech-…

🇺🇸🗳️On the eve of the US election, the threat of social media-fueled violence looms. Dean Jackson examines risks we may face in the days ahead and asks if platforms learned from Jan 6, 2021. Read his analysis in our @CIGIonline Tech in Election series:

We are excited to welcome Mark to the CSDI! A sociology PhD candidate @UBC, he researches climate discourse shifts at UN COP meetings and Canada's fossil fuel influence. At the Centre, he will research climate related mis/disinformation and harassment on social media in Canada.

📭While Rowland Hill’s 1837 Post Office Reform is credited with influencing Britain’s Postage Act of 1839, it was driven by capitalist and colonial interests. Charli Muller delves into the use of the logic of terra nullius in these reforms. shs.cairn.info/revue-mondes-2…

📮How did postal reforms shape empires? Rocio Moreno-Cabanillas discusses Spain and Portugal’s 18th-century restructuring of mail services, and how this effort to reinforce state control over colonies resulted in negative side effects. shs.cairn.info/revue-mondes-2…

Thread/ 📬Leonard Laborie and Heidi Tworek discuss postal traffic’s impact on global history. From unopened 18th-century letters to the founding of the Universal Postal Union, the article illustrates how postal networks are a key factor in global history. shs.cairn.info/revue-mondes-2…