John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
Penn State professor who studies deliberative democracy and group decision making. Currently on sabbatical at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center. Recent books: Hope for Democracy, Legislature by Lot, and Dungeon Party (a novel). .. more
Penn State professor who studies deliberative democracy and group decision making. Currently on sabbatical at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center. Recent books: Hope for Democracy, Legislature by Lot, and Dungeon Party (a novel).
John Gastil currently holds a joint appointment as Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences and Professor of Political Science at Penn State University. He is known for his research on deliberative democracy and group decision making. .. more
Communication & Media Studies
37%
Political science
32%
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Oct 11
100% agree
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jul 24
And I'm also the proud co-author of this article. TLDR = deliberation works.
Who Learns from Deliberative Minipublics? Identity-Based Differences in Knowledge Gains across Thirteen Citizens' Initiative Review Experiments (lead author: Kristinn Már Ársælsson)
sociologicalscience.com/articles-v12...
Who Learns from Deliberative Minipublics? Identity-Based Differences in Knowledge Gains across Thirteen Citizens' Initiative Review Experiments (lead author: Kristinn Már Ársælsson)
sociologicalscience.com/articles-v12...
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jul 24
Quick note that I'm the proud co-author of a new article. TLDR = listening is powerful.
The Evidentiary Basis for Political Listening: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Feeling Heard (lead author: Elisa Vogel) www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The Evidentiary Basis for Political Listening: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Feeling Heard (lead author: Elisa Vogel) www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· May 7
Well done. It's a fun set of essays on a great topic. Good job.
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· May 7
Home | Scholars Strategy Network
Your one-stop resource for timely and reliable research. Get the expertise you need from our responsive network of America's top experts.
scholars.org
I've had more than one academic colleague tell me that they're considering writing an op-ed about what's happening in higher ed, with federal grants, and other issues related to their expertise. Here's a great resource for this; reach out to them, and they can help. scholars.org/local-impact...
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Apr 25
Feel the power of Trump's diplomatic prowess. (Apologies to those who haven't been watching White Lotus.)
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Apr 22
It’s time for a fourth branch of government - The Boston Globe
When politicians fail to solve thorny policy issues, they should put the question to a House of the People.
www.bostonglobe.com
Can the idea of "civic lotteries" (random selection for empowered citizen deliberation) gain as much traction in the US as it has elsewhere? We'll see. Here's hoping the anti-democratic moment we're in now spurs a more powerful pro-democratic movement. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/22/o...
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Apr 22
Q&A: APPC Visiting Scholar John Gastil on Democracy and Digital Media | The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Penn State Professor & APPC visiting scholar John Gastil talks about his new book on democracy and digital media.
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org
What I've been up to on sabbatical this year at U Penn's Annenberg Public Policy Center. Love that they lead with what I wear to work (though they're not wrong). @detroitlions.bsky.social
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/qa-appc-visi...
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/qa-appc-visi...
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Apr 6
Leaving MAGA - Leaving MAGA
MISSION STATEMENT Empower others to leave MAGA and tell their stories. Foster reconciliation with their friends and family. Develop movement leaders to help others leave. Dear MAGA Americans, I was a ...
leavingmaga.org
I'm often at a loss when considering how to respond to vitriol or nonsense posted in social media. I've started just posting a link in reply, which I hope will lead to clicks from those with a smidge of curiosity. Simply, leavingmaga.org
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 14
Journal of Sortition - Imprint Academic
SIGN UP HERE FOR THE JOURNAL OF SORTITION NEWSLETTER FOR A FREE PRINTED AND BOUND COPY OF THE FIRST ISSUE! Launching in Spring 2025 Call for papers Little more than a decade ago the word ‘sortition...
www.imprint.co.uk
The Journal of Sortition is launching soon. It should interest anyone hoping to see more experiments with random selection in democracy. For any skeptics out there, remember that the venerable jury system is doing just fine, thank you. www.imprint.co.uk/product/jos/
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 14
I'll definitely take a look at that. Great idea for a study
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 7
I like how Board Games held its own on this chart. Amazing how the digital infrastructure (Kickstarter, BoardGameGeek, etc.) helped that industry thrive by indulging nifty niche ideas like Wingspan or Age of Renaissance, instead of leaving us all suffering Monopoly or Risk.
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 7
Ernest Callenbach - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Doesn't surprise me. It was in the water 50 years ago. See the novel "Ecotopia" (1975) by Ernest Callenbach, who formalized its governance model in A Citizen Legislature (1985). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_...
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 7
resistance is futile
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 7
unfiltered joy. we all could use more of that.
John Gastil
@jgastil.bsky.social
· Jan 7
AG Phil Weiser is the first big name to declare for 2026 Colorado governor's race
Democrat Phil Weiser is midway through his second term as Attorney General. Over his six years in office he made a name for himself fighting the first Trump administration in court, as well as suing o...
www.cpr.org
I'll make my first BlueSky post a happy note in what are unhappy times for American democracy. Colorado Atty General Phil Weiser will run for governor in 2026. Phil was my debate partner in college. His public service has done great things for Colorado--and the US. www.cpr.org/2025/01/02/c...