i+Ronen+Goffer

Ronen goffer
My name is Ronen Goffer. My interst and expertise is theory and practice of participatory democracy, engaging citizens in decision making. I hold an M.Sc. in Physics and a B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and am currently a Ph.D. student in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I have 15 years of professional experience in social and civic activities. I have established and engaged in leading entrepreneurial initiatives that have involved the establishment of international networks, governmental-civic sector partnerships and fund raising from multiple sources. Over the past 15 years, I have been engaged in the foundation of KOL-Active, the Israeli Center for Engaging Citizens in Governance and previously in the establishment of the Division for Participatory Democracy at the Haim Zippori Community Education Center. These initiatives were the first entrepreneurial attempts in Israel to engage citizens in decision-making and governance on a national level, and were aimed at reversing the (worldwide) trend of deteriorating government legitimacy due to citizens’ alienation. They included the import of innovative models of citizens’ participation from Denmark, Holland, the United States and elsewhere. I have published several articles and books in the area of participatory and deliberative democracy.