Rediscovering the Commons: Luke Bretherton on Everyday Democracy

McDonald Centre Director Luke Bretherton explored the beauty of democratic life in his keynote at Notre Dame’s Everyday Democracy Conference. Rather than focusing on elections or party politics, Bretherton emphasised democracy as a commons: shared practices that give people real agency in shaping their communities.

He highlighted the power of building trust across differences, empowering hidden voices, and putting people before programs to strengthen local institutions. Attendees engaged in panels, roundtables, and listening sessions, bridging scholarship with practical experience to explore what democracy looks like on the ground. Bretherton left the audience with a challenge: “What kind of change do you want to be part of? Be part of the kind of change that generates more love and real beauty as the fruit of its work.”

The conference, the first of three annual gatherings, is supported by Notre Dame’s Democracy Initiative and Cushwa Center to connect university scholarship with local civic engagement.

Read more here: The Beauty of Everyday Democracy