At a moment when political frustration and polarization feel impossible to ignore, Dublin will host a timely and forward-looking discussion on how democracy can evolve to meet today’s challenges.
On Monday, March 16 at Lennan’s Yard, MASS LBP presents the Dublin launch of Democracy’s Second Act: Why Politics Needs the Public. The event will feature co-author Peter MacLeod in conversation with leading Irish academic and journalist Jane Suiter of FUJO and will be officially launched by Art O'Leary, Chief Executive of An Coimisiún Toghcháin/The Electoral Commission.
In Democracy’s Second Act, MacLeod and co-author Richard Johnson argue that democracy is not broken, but stuck. While voting rights and representative government marked extraordinary achievements in democracy’s “first act,” the authors contend that today’s political systems have failed to evolve alongside an increasingly informed and engaged public.
Drawing on real-world examples from citizens’ assemblies in Ireland, Canada, France and beyond, the book outlines how meaningful public participation can help rebuild trust and reduce polarization. It makes a clear case that ordinary citizens are not a liability in politics, but an untapped resource.
The 30-minute conversation will explore why frustration is rising globally and how empowering citizens with real responsibility can renew democratic life. The discussion will be followed by audience questions and a book signing.
The book has already drawn strong praise internationally, with Thomas Homer-Dixon calling it “inspiring, compassionate and thoroughly engaging,” and Alan Webber describing it as essential reading for anyone who feels the impact of politics in their daily life.
Jane Suiter brings deep expertise and lived experience to this discussion. As Professor of Communications at Dublin City University and Director of the Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society, she has been at the forefront of research on deliberative democracy, public information environments, and countering disinformation.
Crucially, Suiter played a key role in Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly process and co-founded We the Citizens, initiatives widely regarded as global models for public deliberation. Her work has helped position Ireland as a leader in democratic innovation, making her an especially fitting speaker for MacLeod’s vision of democracy’s next chapter.
Her perspective, grounded in both academic research and practical democratic reform, is expected to anchor the discussion in the Irish context while connecting it to broader international movements for political renewal.
Event Details
Dublin Book Launch: Democracy’s Second Act: Why Politics Needs the Public
Monday, March 16
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Lennan’s Yard, Dublin
Hosted by MASS LBP
Tickets are available via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dublin-book-launch-democracys-second-act-why-politics-needs-the-public-tickets-1984301655668?aff=oddtdtcreator
The book is also available through Waterstones.
For anyone concerned about the direction of politics, or hopeful about its reinvention, this event promises an engaging and solution-oriented evening grounded in both theory and real-world change.
