Ieva Česnulaitytė
I am a researcher, policy analyst, and activist with nearly a decade of experience across government, civil society, and international organisations.As a freelance consultant, I advise on democratic innovation and citizens’ assemblies. My latest research interests are focused at the intersection of deliberative democracy, collective emotions, and psychology of democracy.Until summer 2024, I served as the founding Head of Research and Learning for DemocracyNext, a global platform for democratic innovation, where I led projects including the development of the Assembling an Assembly Guide, a collaboration with Design & Democracy on a democracy exhibition and citizens’ assemblies in two museums, a book project on institutionalising citizens’ assemblies, the organisation’s research and learning strategy, and a virtual learning programme on citizens’ assemblies for cities.I was a 2023-2024 Europe’s Futures Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna, where I researched citizen deliberation as a democratic response to authoritarianism in Central and Eastern Europe.As a former policy analyst at the OECD, I co-developed the Deliberative Democracy Toolbox, analysing over 700 citizens’ assemblies worldwide to establish standards of good practice. I have collaborated with governments across Europe, including the Basque Country, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, and Lithuania, to develop citizens’ assemblies.Earlier, I led Lithuania’s participation in the Open Government Partnership Initiative within the office of the Lithuanian Prime Minister.I am a member of the OECD Innovative Citizen Participation Network and PeoplePowered. I serve on the Advisory Boards of the Democracy R&D global network, the gender equality NGO Lygiosios, and the upcoming 2025 National Swiss Citizens’ Assembly.
Selected publications
Selected media
Eastern Europe needs new defences against attacks on its democracies, Euronews.
Citizens' Assemblies as a Matter of National Security in Central and Eastern Europe, IWMpost.
Dem Rat von Bürgerinnen und Bürgern eine Chance geben, Die Presse.
Austrians Already Have the Answer to Their Democratic Challenges - Will They Use It?, Europe's Futures.
How to shore up democracy in Eastern Europe after the Ukraine war, Responsible Statecraft.
Let's connect
Contact me at [email protected]