Deliberative Mini-Publics Involving Citizens in the Democratic Process [Paperback]

The first comprehensive account of the booming phenomenon of deliberative mini-publics, this book offers a systematic review of their variety, discusses their weaknesses, and recommends ways to make them a viable component of democracy.The first comprehensive account of the booming phenomenon of deliberative mini-publics, this book offers a systematic review of their variety, discusses their weaknesses, and recommends ways to make them a viable component of democracy. The book takes stock of the diverse practices of deliberative mini-publics and, more concretely, looks at preconditions, processes, and outcomes. It provides a critical assessment of the experience with mini-publics; in particular their lack of policy impact. Bringing together leading scholars in the field, notably James S Fishkin and Mark E Warren, Deliberative Mini-Publics will speak to anyone with an interest in democracy and democratic innovations.ContentsList of Figures and Tables viiList of Abbreviations viiiContributors ixForeword by John Dryzek xiiiPreface xvChapter One: Introduction 1Kimmo Gr?nlund, Andr? B?chtiger and Maija Set?l?Chapter Two: Defining Mini-Publics 9Matthew Ryan and Graham SmithChapter Three: Deliberative Democracy in Context: Reflections onTheory and Practice 27James S. FishkinChapter Four: What Would Dahl Say?: An Appraisal of the DemocraticCredentials of Deliberative Polls? and Other Mini-Publics 41Ian OFlynn and Gaurav SoodChapter Five: Normative Theory and Experimental Research in theStudy of Deliberative Mini-Publics 59Maija Set?l? and Kaisa HerneChapter Six: Facilitating Deliberation:The Role of Impartial Intermediaries in Deliberative Mini-Publics 77Claudia LandwehrChapter Seven: Online Deliberation: Theory and Practice in VirtualMini-Publics 93Kim Strandberg and Kimmo Gr?nlundChapter Eight: Gentlemanly Conversation or Vigorous Contestation?:An Exploratory Analysis of Communication Modes in a TransnationalDeliberative Poll? (Europolis) 115Andr? B?chtiger and Marl?nel³$