About

Hello.

This is a blog about democracy, digital participation and global governance. And some photos occasionally. And sometimes other stuff too.

It’s written by Joe Mitchell, a Britisher in his early thirties. That’s me. I’m interested in openness, transparency and accountability in governance. Have been for a while. More recently, I’ve realised that intelligent use of digital technology can help get us to a better democracy.

I’ve written stuff about why I think digital technology gives us the tools with which to change governance the global level. And I’d like to return to that at some point – looking at something like an Open United Nations.

But right now, I’m trying to test this stuff at the national level in the UK, with some great people at Democracy Club. We’re making democracy more user-friendly through crowdsourcing, open data and good digital service design. Come help us out.

Work history

Before throwing myself into Democracy Club, I used to work at Purpose, designing digital communication efforts to encourage large online collectives to be – or push for – the change.

Previously, I’ve helped: Giving What We Can to develop a communication strategy; trained UN staffers on social media (and drafted a social media strategy for the Secretariat); worked on communication strategy for a (lovingly-remembered) agency of the UK Government; and have done advocacy, comms and research for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Malaria No More, Absolute Return for Kids, Transparency International-Kenya, Global Witness, BBC World Service, an MP in the UK Parliament and Shelterbox.

Studiousness 

My first degree was in Jurisprudence from the rather lovely New College, Oxford and I have a Master of Laws, Governance and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and a MA Global Governance from the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

Other stuff

I once spent a year of Saturdays mentoring a lively seven year old from Brixton. It was scary and fun and you should do it too.