Team and contact

The community Democratic Engagement in a Multi-layered Open Society (DEMOS) is an interdisciplinary network of scholars who study the major transformations of and challenges to democracy in past and present, linked to the strategic theme Institutions for Open Societies.

DEMOS investigates the interdependence of institutions and citizen engagement in open democracies. We want to explore how citizens can become more involved in both decision-making and in knowledge-producing processes. How can we tap the rich reservoir of citizen activities and activism to revitalize the institutions in place? Are there new ways in which citizens can make their voices heard, in which they help to transform institutions or create new ones?

Are you interested in becoming involved? Please send an email to demos@uu.nl, with the subject line: DEMOS community.

Funding and support

We offer support and funding for UU staff wishing to apply to the several funding options of the Institutions of Open Societies (UU-Intranet, please login with your Solis-ID) and we also offer some own support and funding. If interested, please contact the community manager above, outlining your funding objectives and providing a comprehensive exposition on how they align with the thematic focus of our community.