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What kinds of systems can lead to a better tomorrow, and what can be done to build those systems?
This is largely the challenge posed in Next System Studies, and George Mason University is home to this new field. Over 400 leading policymakers, innovators, community organizers, and academics launched the program at Mason in 2021. Since then, the study of technology and society has become a core element of this new academic field.
“We offer teaching, research, and publicly engaged programming,” said Ben Manski, assistant professor of public sociology in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Our approach to Next System Studies emphasizes direct collaboration between technologists, regional governments, and community organizations in building digital platforms that facilitate democratization, community wealth, and sustainability. “
The Next System Studies program stems in part from the Next System Project, a grassroots initiative by The Democracy Collaborative. The project takes a deep and bold look at addressing challenges the U.S. faces now, and will face in the future, as a result of the intersection of systems formed around race, economy, technology, climate, and ecology.
Community Engagement
Researchers with Next System Studies work in three community engaged research initiatives – Democratizing NOVA (DNOVA); the Digital Commonwealth Project (DCP); and the Next Constitutions Research Lab – and students enrolled in the program often work within these projects, as part of the curriculum.
According to Manski, DNOVA and the Digital Commonwealth Project are more closely linked, and can help expand worker and community cooperatives and other forms of economic and political democracy in our region.
“DNOVA has a strong emphasis on participatory planning using online technology. Among other things, the project has been developing a database of democratization initiatives in Northern Virginia,” he said.
Similarly, the Next Constitutions Research Lab emphasizes online platform-based transnational deliberations on global constitutional design, as well as the use of digital technology collaborative comparative analysis of constitutional change and democracy.
Next System Studies at Fuse
Next System Studies emphasizes direct collaboration between technologists, regional governments, and community organizations in building digital platforms that facilitate democratization, community wealth, and sustainability.
“The collection of Next System programs and curriculum present a novel and forward-thinking opportunity to bring social sciences together with digital technology to advance quality of life in our region and beyond," said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement. “Fuse was designed specifically to facilitate community engagement with digital innovation, to support trans-disciplinary partnerships with government and industry, and train the next generation on state of the science technologies to advance our collective well-being.”
“Fuse will offer access of Next System Studies to valued colleagues, labs, and common spaces,” Manski said. “The location and facilities at Fuse are perfect for the kind of engaged research, teaching, and publicly oriented programming that we emphasize.”
Next System Studies program requirements, courses, and additional information are available here.