About

Demockracy is an independent political magazine covering politics and policy at all levels, local to international. Based out of Chicago, our writers come from all corners of the globe, from California to London. We publish daily news updates and features on a regular basis. If you’d like to become a contributor, please contact us for consideration.

Kevin Van Dyke, Editor

A self-acclaimed politics and policy wonk, Kevin works in applied health services research for a major health care association. In this capacity, his main areas of expertise are health care governance, patient safety, and quality of care. Kevin also does a variety of political volunteering for local and national candidates and other civic activities. National level experience includes the Kerry-Edwards campaign in his native Ohio in 2004 and the Obama-Biden campaign in six states, including his current home state of Illinois. He enjoys spending time with friends, family, fiancé Jessica, and cat Shelby. Kevin received his Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and his Master of Public Policy from The University of Chicago.

Mark Wilson, Contributing Editor

Mark works as a system administrator whose prowess in Unix is rivaled only by his satire, which he honed as a student journalist at Miami University. He has worked variously as an IT consultant and web designer and has spent most of his Thursday evenings for the last three years volunteering at Berkeley’s needle exchange. Though he currently resides in Oakland, California, Mark grew up outside Cleveland, Ohio and has a fondness for the Midwest and its snow, which is something he doesn’t see much of in Calfiornia. He holds degrees in History and English Literature from Miami and wrote his thesis about how visions of dystopia in literature change throughout time and space (naturally). Mark publishes the “Lawful Dissent” column for Demockracy, and helps shape the editorial direction of the site.

Dave O’Gorman, Contributing Editor

Dave O’Gorman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up on dairy farms in rural New York State. He is a graduate of Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He has also attended the Artists-in-Residence program in Creative Writing at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where he studied under Douglas Coupland. He has published short fiction in Orchid: A Literary Review, The Santa Fe Review, and Sketch, among other forums. Mr. O’Gorman is a Professor of Economics at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. Prior to that, he worked for eight years in the field of Economic Development, holding positions in rural Minnesota, the Twin Cities Metro Area, and Fort Lauderdale. Dave writes the “Blue Economist” column for Demockracy, as well as serving in an advisory editor role and contributing articles on economic history, electoral politics and American culture.

Any views our editors expresses are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views of other organizations that they are in any way affiliated with.