Description

This book focuses on how to improve equal and public participation in a range of innovative citizen forums that could revitalize democracy around the world. This book focuses on new forums that convene citizens to recommend or enact policy, which could revitalize democracy around the world. The authors propose innovative solutions to the challenges of equality and publicity in civic forums. The book will be of interest to political science and communication scholars, as well as practitioners and sponsors of civic engagement, public consultation, public management, and deliberative and participatory democracy. This book focuses on new forums that convene citizens to recommend or enact policy, which could revitalize democracy around the world. The authors propose innovative solutions to the challenges of equality and publicity in civic forums. The book will be of interest to political science and communication scholars, as well as practitioners and sponsors of civic engagement, public consultation, public management, and deliberative and participatory democracy. Innovative forums that integrate citizen deliberation into policy making are revitalizing democracy in many places around the world. Yet controversy abounds over whether these forums ought to be seen as authentic sources of public opinion and how they should fit with existing political institutions. How can civic forums include less powerful citizens and ensure that their perspectives are heard on equal terms with more privileged citizens, officials, and policy experts? How can these fragile institutions communicate citizens' policy preferences effectively and legitimately to the rest of the political system? Deliberation, Democracy, and Civic Forums proposes creative solutions for improving equality and publicity, which are grounded in new theories about democratic deliberation, a careful review of research and practice in the field, and several original studies. This book speaks to scholars, practitioners, and sponsors of civic engagement, public management and consultation, and deliberative and participatory democracy. 1. Democratic deliberation in civic forums; Part I. Equality: 2. Enclave deliberation of the disempowered Christopher F. Karpowitz and Chad Raphael with Allen S. Hammond, IV; 3. Enclave deliberation about the digital divide; Part II. Publicity: 4. Deliberative publicity; 5. Argumentation; 6. Transparency; 7. Strengthening deliberative civic forums. 'On the basis of careful normative argument, attention to practical examples, and empirical evidence, Karpowitz and Raphael derive important lessons for deliberative democracy. They show that discussions in 'enclaves' of similar people can be valuable and how crucial the communication of results of a deliberation are to the broader public.' Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Tufts University, Massachusetts 'If it is to survive this century, democracy has to mature. Karpowitz and Raphael offer guidance for those who seek to make democracy more participatory and deliberative. They cast a critical eye on research and reform from recent decades in hopes of making future attempts at democratic innovation more egalitarian and legitimate in the context of the vital political institutions and practices already in place. Whether you want to transform our modern political institutions or understand the transformation taking place, this book is essential reading.' John Gastil, Communication