Deliberative Democracy and Higher Education: A Workshop on Innovative Democratic Education and Leadership    

This workshop is based on the assumptions that American public life and democracy are strongest when citizens come together, engage in dialogue and deliberation, and then work together to solve pressing social, economic, and political problems – and that colleges and universities are critical partners in this work. There is much to be done, however, to realize these goals. This workshop is designed for college and university faculty, administrators, students, and community partners committed to strengthening their institutions’ role in American public life and democracy.

This full-day workshop will begin with a discussion of the scope of this work: teaching and learning the habits and arts of democracy, education for a diverse democracy, public scholarship, civic education and engagement, community-university partnerships, and democratic leadership. We will then divide into two learning communities, on (1) designing curriculum (including first-year experiences), educational programs and learning experiences connected to the principles and practices of democracy, and (2) university governance and decision making processes as models for democratic leadership and practice. Participants will reconvene as one group at the end of the workshop to share strategies and next steps.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be better prepared to make the case for this work on their own campuses. They will have explored some illustrative programs and practices on campuses. They will know more about resources available to them. And they will be more involved in the national network of educators and democracy builders deeply immersed in this work.

Registration for this one-day workshop is only $95.

Learning Objectives:

1. Provide an overview of the civic engagement, diversity, and democracy movements on campuses
2. Work on the language needed to make the case for legitimizing this work on campuses and embedding it in curricular and governance practices
3. Design curriculum by sharing experiences, studying exemplars in the field, and learning about the many venues for this work and its “democracy across the curriculum” potential
4. Examine the principles and practices of participatory leadership, decision making, and shared governance, illustrate exemplary practices in higher education, identify the barriers to implementing more democratic leadership practices and brainstorm ways to overcome them
5. Exchange resources
6. Build a long-term learning community connected to TDI and NCDD

Facilitators:

Bruce L. Mallory is Provost and Executive Vice President at the University of New Hampshire. Previously, he was Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at UNH (1997-2003). Dr. Mallory has been a professor of education (early childhood and special education) since 1979; he chaired the UNH Department of Education from 1987 to 1993. Dr. Mallory received the Ph.D. in Special Education and Community Psychology from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Dr. Mallory has been a leader in school reform initiatives in New Hampshire, especially with respect to professional development of school administrators and the design of school improvement programs. Dr. Mallory is a co-founder of The Democracy Imperative, a national network of scholars and practitioners committed to the improvement of public life and the advancement of deliberative democracy in and through higher education.

John Gastil is a professor of communication at the University of Washington. He is the author of the newly published Political Communication and Deliberation (Sage, 2008) and co-editor with Peter Levine of The Deliberative Democracy Handbook (Jossey-Bass, 2005). He has also authored By Popular Demand (U California, 2000) and Democracy in Small Groups (New Society, 1993), and various articles on small groups, deliberation, and politics.

As the Administrative Director for Discovery (General Education) at the University of New Hampshire, Michele Holt-Shannon coordinates campus-wide educational enrichment programming bridging in- and out-of-class curricula. She has coordinated Study Circles on topics of conflict, alcohol and diversity as well as other dialogue initiatives addressing sports fan behavior and various community issues. Her work with the university dialogue connects learning to contemporary social challenges and encourages the consideration of purpose and civic identity campus-wide.

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If you are thinking about participating in this workshop, feel free to contact Michele Holt-Shannon at Michele.holt-shannon@unh.edu if you have questions.  Or go to…

• Registration info
• List of all pre-conference workshops