Week 7: Democratic Culture

Hi everyone! Welcome to Week 7 here in Stockholm. We’re going to skip the news in the U.S. and instead dive into what’s going on here in Sweden at IDEA.

Work continues at a steady pace. I’ve found a strong footing over the past couple of weeks as I’m drawn onto more projects within the Electoral Processes team, and it’s been genuinely engaging as the summer days roll by. Windows open, sun pouring in, and piles of election codes to read have made for a very peaceful week.

As you’ve seen over the past few weeks, a lot of my work takes me (virtually) to countries that may not always be at the forefront of one’s mind in the fight for democracy. The Iron Curtain fell over 30 years ago; the European Union and liberalization have transformed Europe, and stable democracies flourish everywhere — or so it can seem to the untrained eye.

In countries like Kosovo and Romania, the story is a little less clear. Yes, Kosovo has had the support of international peacekeeping and election observation missions to ensure peaceful transitions of power. Yes, Romania enjoys assistance from the EU in conducting election-day activities. But the nature of democracy is as much cultural as it is administrative — democracy cannot survive without a democratic culture that supports it, believes in it, and values it. There needs to be a sort of “buy-in” to the public consciousness, and a recognition that one is, in fact, part of such a consciousness. Institutions can set the rules; citizens supply the habit of using them.

Needless to say, this is a struggle the world is facing everywhere. I don’t have a single solution for reviving civic consciousness, strengthening democratic resilience, or restoring trust — beyond doing the work in front of us. All we can do is keep building on it.

Until next week,


Hank

P.S. Separately, a special shoutout to my little sister, Audrey Blackburn, who graduates from the Interior Design Institute this weekend! Congratulations!!