About
 The Why Democracy House describes a real house in Cape Town, South Africa, where a group of young people from all parts of the world lived and worked together to create an online global conversation about democracy. The Why Democracy House was open from June untill October 2007. Members of the Democracy House still contribute to Why Democracy? You can read the blog that documents our journey here.
Latest House Logs
End of Democracy House
- charlotte
- Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:30:54 +0200
After four crazy months, we are sad to say that it is the end of the Why Democracy House?
It has been really hard and crazy work, and we have all had a lot of fun.
This site will keep being up to date, but it will no longer be run out of a house in South Africa. However it will be as virtual and current and committed to being an online platform for discussion about democracy.
Also, there is an article about Why Democracy and the house in the South African weekly Mail and Guardian.
Why Democracy? in the News
- yudhvir
- Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:08:04 +0200
Much of the optimism we've had for the Why Democracy? films has been recognised in the media. Rave reviews are coming in from a number of papers. The Financial Times review is one of our favourites.
Why Democracy Party
- charlotte
- Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:52:58 +0200
Friday night we had a big party at the STEPS International headquarters. Everyone was there and everyone had a good time.
Everyone had a good time and we were very greatful to Don Edkins who threw the party and Nick Fraser and Mette Hoffmann who came all the way from Europe to celebrate with us.
2 million page impressions!
- yudhvir
- Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:35:00 +0200
Since the beginning of October, www.whydemocracy.net has had over two milllion page impressions.
We are taking it as an indication that people from all over the world are participating in the Why Democracy? experience. We are expecting much bigger numbers as the broadcasts continue over the next few weeks. Enjoy the site and make yourself heard in our forums.
Who Would You Vote for as President of the World?
- charlotte
- Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:43:03 +0200
In our efforts to pump up the President of the world elections, we have e-mailed all the people that are nominated and we have gotten letters back from Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela's representatives, saying thank you.
In the last two days we have also spend a bit of time e-mailing people around the world - fanclubs, hateclubs, messageboards and forums. Informing them about our election. Now all we have to do is sit back and wait for the vote.
Amy Left
- charlotte
- Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:04:01 +0200
Today Amy left for Rwanda, where she will be staying for a week and then after that she is going back to Germany to finish her masters. We want to thank Amy for all the hard work she has done. She will definatly be missed by everyone.
On the air
- charlotte
- Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:36:47 +0200
We are on the air. Why Democracy? is launched today. Aired by 42 broadcasters, at 20 universities, with 6 different internet outlets. We are seemingly everywhere.
Yesterday, Stanley Fish wrote an article about us on his New York Times blog.
Read the full article.
New York Screening
- charlotte
- Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:25:33 +0200
On the 26th of September we held a screening for Why Democracy in New York.
It went well. Nick Fraser and Mette Hoffmann answered questions about the series and we showed Please Vote for Me.
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Participants
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Anders Bruus |
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Anders is a multi media producer and has a secret talent of impersonating others. He loves Elvis and has a band in Denmark. Under that wiz kid surface he is a true pop star. |
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Anna-Maria Mueller |
Anna-Maria, or Amy, is a graduate student in peace and conflict studies in Germany. She is a blog, coffee, and chocolate addict. Human rights and her dog share equal space in her heart. Amy also volunteered in a prison for some time.
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Beverley Mbu |
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Beverley, or Bev, is originally from Nigeria and a political science student. She has lived on three continents, travelled extensively, hung out with cool people, and eaten a lot of food. This ambitious Catholic girl aspires to become President of Nigeria one day. |
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Charlotte Meyer |
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Charlotte is a whirlwind of crazy ideas and efficiency. This social scientist has a thing for meetings and organizing. Making cool power point presentations and awsome bulllet point lists are just two of her many talents. Charlotte rocks the world and is all about discussing democracy. |
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Erick Menezes |
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Erick Menezes comes from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he studies cinema and works as a freelancer with Canal Futura a Brazilian TV station. Besides being the youngest house member, he is an aspiring writer and hopes to publish his first book before he turns 30. After work, Erick takes off his sneakers and turns the radio on. |
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Irini Mavroudis |
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Irini is a Greek Swedish journalist. She has degrees in political science and journalism, and almost one in film studies. She is a moving image addict and likes to move herself around as well. Her sore foot is doing better. It miraculously healed during a four hour hike on Table Mountain. |
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John MacFarlane |
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John has worked as a journalist, a newspaper editor and as an Internet consultant among other things. He has degrees in electrical engineering and journalism. He is pretty fun despite being Canadian, but then he is moving to Australia. That may not help cover up that he is a dork with a fetish for the environment. |
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Salla Sorri |
Salla is currently studying Documentary Film Directing in Finland. She has studied Russian language, communications and folklore (=inherited verbal tradition). SHe is a dream addict and is interested in secrets.
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Siyi Zhu |
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Siyi travelled 30 hours to get here from China. Her undergraduate degree is in bio-engineering, and she will start a masters in Global Leadership soon. This positive Chinese girl has travelled around the world with a global education organization. She also loves food and tasted avocado for the first time here in the Democracy House. |
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Thembani Mbadlanyana |
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A 23 years old UCT graduate with two years research experience and an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Public Policy. He also has an awsome collection of pastel colored polo shirts and funky black glasses. Don't let his soft spoken appearance fool you, this guy is a jazz tiger inside. |
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Varun Mathur |
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Varun is a documentary film-maker of sorts. He likes to eat kaati and is a champion roti maker. He's been given an edit suite and will hopefully be getting his hands on an hd cam very soon. |
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Yudhvir Ranchod |
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Yudhvir is a native Cape Townian who is finishing his Masters in International Relations. He is keen on getting started with real life and leave university behind. This guy has a thing for the digital divide and claims that technology is not for geeks only. It is rather "the new black". |
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Yukta Kumar |
Yukta is a student of political science at a small town liberal university in the outbacks of the conservative American West. She has energy like no one else. She laughs and the world laughs with her. She also travelled alone through Cambodia, and worked at an orphanage outside Pnohm Penh.
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