Citizen Parliament on Media and Democracy: From Representation to Participation ‘Rethinking Media and Democracy’
The Department of Communications, Universitas Islam Indonesia, successfully held an international seminar titled “Citizen Parliament on Media and Democracy: A Tool for Democratic Renewal” on Thursday, 24 July 2025, Auditorium Room, 3rd Floor, Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences (FISB), Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII). This seminar featured two esteemed speakers from Charles University, Czech Republic: Prof. Nico Carpentier and Assoc. Prof. Vaia Doudaki. The event aimed to introduce the concept of citizen parliament as a democratic tool and to explore the intersection of media, participation, and democratic renewal.
The event began with welcoming remarks from Iwan Awaluddin Yusuf, S.IP., M.Si., Ph.D., Head of Department, and Prof. Masduki, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences. They expressed gratitude to the organizing team and highlighted the significance of citizen-driven dialogue in the digital age.
Following this, Dr. Zaki Habibie presented an overview of UII’s Master’s Program in Digital and Environmental Communication, providing context for how digitalization and environmental concerns intersect with communication studies, and the courses within the 4 semesters of this degree . This seminar was part of a broader Visiting Professor initiative designed to enrich academic discourse and curriculum development at UII.
It started by exploring how citizen parliaments—participatory forums where ordinary people discuss public issues—can strengthen democracy, especially in the context of media systems. Drawing from the European MEDEMA Project, Professor Carpentier explained that these forums allow citizens to deliberate, propose solutions, and offer recommendations on how media should function in a democratic society.
Building on this, Associate Professor Vaia Doudaki shared findings from a citizen parliament in the Czech Republic, where a diverse group of 20 citizens gathered to discuss media participation, representation, and regulation. They proposed 51 resolutions, with 31 accepted through consensus. These included calls for more inclusive media, stronger media literacy, protection from monopolies, and increased citizen involvement in public broadcasting.
Things to highlight as a communication student:
One of the most insightful parts of the seminar was when Professor Nico Carpentier explained that democracy is not a fixed concept, but rather an ongoing struggle. He highlighted that while most democracies are built on two core principles—representation and participation—there is often an imbalance between them. When participation is weak or absent, a political gap forms, leaving citizens disconnected from decision-making. Carpentier stressed that this imbalance becomes the subject of continuous political struggle, as different groups try to shape democracy in ways that either expand or restrict participation. In this context, citizen parliaments offer a practical response—creating spaces where ordinary people can deliberate and co-decide, ultimately working to close that gap and renew democratic practice.
It highlighted how democratic renewal is possible when citizens are given real opportunities to engage, and a call to imagine more participatory futures for media and democracy.
This seminar exemplifies UII’s commitment to fostering critical, international, and interdisciplinary dialogue. By introducing the concept of citizen parliaments, the event contributed valuable insight into how democracy can be revitalized through inclusive communication processes.
Written by: Thrya Abdulraheem Motea Al-aqab
Edited by: Meigitaria Sanita
