Divided Times: Deliberative Democracy in Post Conflict & Polarised Societies

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

In 2024, more than 2 billion people will go to the polls. This will further expose the fault lines that exist in relation to the health of democracy. Declining levels of confidence and trust in democratic institutions, coupled with low levels of participation, are a feature of recent empirical work. Worse, these trends are concentrated amongst the most deprived. Democratic politics is also polarising, with an adversarial environment defining recent electoral history.

One significant response can be found in the rising popularity of deliberative democracy which promotes discursive democratic practices that are fair and inclusive, with legitimate outcomes and more engaged participants. However, there are issues which need attention if deliberative democracy is to realise its promise. Connecting scholarship and practice, the panel will articulate the potential and stress test the limits of deliberative democracy by exploring its application in 'imperfect conditions'. In doing so, we will reach towards a more inclusive and accessible model of deliberation.

Sub Unit

• Related Groups / Democratic Innovations

Individual Presentations

• Participatory Processes Strengthen Democracy in Post-conflict Divided Societies? - Damir Kapidzic, University of Sarajevo

• Deliberation in Fragile Democracies: Citizens' Assemblies in Georgia - Paulina Pospieszna, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan; Tsveta Petrova, Columbia University

• Imperfect Conditions: Exploring the Possibilities of Mass Deliberation - Ceri Davies, National Centre for Social Research (UK); Suzanne Hall, King's College London; Alice Siu, Stanford University

• The Promise of Deliberative Democracy in Reproductive Rights Discourse - Alice Siu, Stanford University

Chair

• Dimitri Courant Harvard University

Discussants

• Shinya Wakao College of the Mainland

• Dimitri Courant Harvard University