What is the Democracy Project?
The Democracy Project is a multi-media platform and speaker series, active since 2016–17. Professors Barrett McCormick and Jessica Rich began this project from gathering speakers and activists to the Marquette University campus. This interdisciplinary-collaborative project brings together political science and digital media students in hopes of further broadening their outlook on the world we live in to an international scale. Students look at global issues and hear from activists in a way that addresses the many issues occurring throughout different parts of the world, exposing them to new ways of thinking.
The Democracy Project is currently looking into domestic and local issues happening in our community in order for students to learn about what is occurring close to home and what they can do to help our communities. From interviewing David Archambault, a leader in the Dakota Pipeline protests to Nate Hamilton, a local, Milwaukee activist leading the Coalition for Justice. The Democracy Project works to develop those students involved, in a way that pushes them to take their own initiative in seeking out information, sources and solutions to the social justice issues we experience as a community.
Upon interviewing Joe Brown, an assistant professor in the department of Digital Media and Performing Arts at Marquette, a lot can be said on the work his students are doing for the Democracy Project and what he hopes they gain from participating in it.
“My hope for students who are working on these projects, is that they do become globally minded,” Brown said in an interview. “That they do start to see ways in which they can engage with issues through the production of documentary, that they start to see ways that they can support movements through media and that they start to see that it’s not hard for them to make their own media on social issues.”
Brown was first introduced to the project by professors McCormick and Rich when it first began, his involvement has continued since. Students in his class are able to shoot and edit interviews of the different activists, advancing their digital media skills while gaining insights on international issues that are in heavy conversation today.
Along with this, Brown’s students are currently working on their own local documentaries, addressing social justice issues in the Milwaukee community such as: education and segregation, mental health in students, and human sex trafficking. With the United States economy, healthcare, and terrorism holding the top public priorities for its government, conversations need to occur and information needs to be sought out by its citizens in order to understand the world we live in and its future.
To find college classes that allow you to develop your craft and see the world we live in through multiple lenses is rare. Being able to meet big activist figures in our country and across the globe is an experience many students do not get the privilege of having. Finding a class that allows you to do all three is a class you do not want to miss out on. With this, to any Marquette University students who look to have such experiences in a semester class, look to join the Democracy Project by way of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, or the Diederich College of Communication.
