Central to our work is the conviction that the outcomes of deliberation result in qualitatively better, more lasting decisions on policy matters. Participation in such forums is a central to democratic renewal. Essentially, our view is that democratic deliberation is a powerful, transformational experience for everyone involved–citizens and leaders alike–which can result in attitudinal shifts toward the institutions and practice of democracy overall.
The Deliberative Democracy Consortium has embarked on an ambitious research agenda that will build knowledge around the actual impact of deliberation upon civic attitudes and behavior, and the sustainability of follow-on efforts. Our hypothesis in this work is that, with expanded application, increased frequency and greater visibility, deliberative democracy can invigorate and rekindle the civic virtues of trust, participation and responsibility (link)
Also, check out http://thataway.org ‘The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation’
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