An Online Environment for Democratic Deliberation: Motivations, Principles, and Design

Todd Davies, Brendan O'Connor, Alex Angiolillo Cochran, Jonathan J. Effrat.

This paper elucidates the experience and thinking behind our new web-based environment for asynchronous group deliberation: Deme (pronounced 'deem'). Deme grew out of participation in and observations of group decision making and community democracy, and is being developed within a university-community partnership to enhance civic participation and to bridge digital divides.

Resource Link: http://www.stanford.edu/~davies/deme-principles.pdf

Assessing Deliberation: Setting the Agenda, Implementing Policy, and Outcomes

Lisa-Marie Napoli, Ph.D., Becky Nesbit and Lisa Blomgren Bingham. Submitted to the 2006 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation, 2006.

This 33-page research report presented at NCDD's 2006 conference examines AmericaSpeaks' 21st Century Town Meeting - one important model for facilitating citizen participation through large scale (100-5,000) dialogue in which citizens come together, listen to each other in a public arena, and make decisions as a collective community. Many researchers ask why there is a gap between scholarship and practice in the field of deliberation; this study responds to the call for empirical testing by examining the AmericaSpeaks model of a 21st Town Meeting. Specifically, this study examines agenda setting, implementation, and outcomes in the context of three different cities where the Town Hall Meetings occurred.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Bingham-AssessingDelibPaper.doc

Beyond the Vocal Few: Ideas To Encourage Broader Public Participation In Your Community

This 2-page document was used as a handout for the workshop entitled "Collaborative Governance in Local Government: Choosing Practice Models and Assessing Experience" given by Terry Amsler, Lisa Blomgren Bingham, and Malka Kopell at the 2006 NCDD Conference. The handout offers suggestions for achieving better representation in public involvement and civic engagement efforts that were compiled by the Institute for Local Government?’s Collaborative Governance Initiative.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Beyond_Vocal_Few.doc

Collaborative Governance in Local Government: Choosing Practice Models and Assessing Experience

This workshop at NCDD's 2006 conference addressed how civic engagement practitioners can assist local governments in thinking systematically about and choosing among the various forms of civic engagement in public decision-making, and here is where you can find all five handouts/presentations that from this popular session.

Core Principles of Dialogue and "The Dialogic Approach"

This workshop at the 2006 NCDD conference was presented by Bettye Pruitt and Philip Thomas - co-authors of "Democratic Dialogue: A Handbook for Practitioners." They presented two concepts central to the Handbook: a definition of dialogue based on five core principles (inclusiveness, empowerment, learning, humanity, long-term perspective); and "the dialogic approach," an operational "code of conduct" for practitioners derived from those principles.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/DemoDialogueHbkExcerpt.pdf

Creating Meaningful Dialogue at Arts Events: Getting beyond Q & A, testimonial, art critique, or soapbox oratory!

Excerpted from Civic Dialogue, Arts & Culture: Findings from Animating Democracy by Pam Korza, Barbara Schaffer Bacon, and Andrea Assaf. Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts, 2005.

This great 2-page handout was created for a workshop at NCDD's 2006 conference called "Inquiring Minds Want to Know: What Do the Arts Have to Do With Dialogue?" Presenters Leah Lamb, Ellen Schneider, and Pam Korza list challenges, offer strategies for effectively engaging audiences in civic dialogue at arts events, provide examples of how dialogue professionals can learn to incorporate art to support their dialogue goals, and more.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/DialogueAtArtsEvents.doc

Dialogue as Pedagogy: Deliberative Learning with Democracy Lab in High School and College Classes

James T Knauer, PhD and Paul Alexander, PhD.

This 10-page document was distributed during Jim Knauer and Paul Alexander's workshop of the same name at the 2006 NCDD Conference in San Francisco. Deliberative dialogue can be used across the curriculum to integrate civic education without sacrificing disciplinary content or traditional learning objectives. The document not only outlines Democracy Lab (an online deliberation program for college students) and where it is headed, it also outlines existing research on dialogic pedagogy, describes William Perry's Scheme of Intellectual and Ethical Development, and explores the relationship between deliberative dialogue and learning.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Dialogic_Pedagogy_Handout.doc

Dialogue Guide and Workbook for "Afraid of the Dark"

Gwendolyn Grant and Jim Myers.

Gwendolyn Grant of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City created this dialogue guide and workbook to accompany Jim Myers' groundbreaking book "Afraid of the Dark: What Whites and Blacks Need to Know About Each Other." According to Grant, "Afraid of the Dark defines with such clarity and simplicity so many of the issues that have created this gulf between blacks and whites. It brings to the forefront the stuff that we talk about within our black and white circles, but seldom, if ever across the color line." Grant distributed this 12-page resource during her well-received workshop at the 2006 NCDD conference in San Francisco.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Grant-AfraidOfDark.doc

Embedded Deliberation: Entrepreneurs, Organizations, and Public Action

Elena Fagotto and Archon Fung. Final Report for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, submitted by the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. April 14, 2006.

This very meaty 151-page final report to the Hewlett Foundation includes detailed case studies on West Virginia?’s National Issues Forums, Public Deliberation in South Dakota, Public Deliberation in Hawai?’i, and Connecticut?’s Community Conversations about Education. Elena Fagotto presented a workshop on her research at NCDD's 2006 conference called "Embedded Deliberation: Moving from Deliberation to Action." She decided to share the report with the NCDD community since many of her workshop participants requested it.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/FagottoFung-EmbedDelib.pdf

Embedding Dialogue on a University Campus

Many institutions of higher education use dialogue as a communication tool to engage and involve the campus community itself as well as surrounding communities. This workshop at NCDD's 2006 conference focused on how three institutions have begun to integrate and embed the process of dialogue into university life - and here is where you can find all six handouts from this well-received session.

From Dialogue to Action: Paying the Democratic Deficit in Venezuela

Jay Hartling and Laura Wells.

This 31-page PDF was used to guide Jay Hartling and Laura Wells' well-received workshop at NCDD's 2006 conference in San Francisco. The lively lecture-style presentation and discussion examined action beyond dialogue, and the intersection of state institutions, civil society organizations and neighborhoods through preliminary research on the implementation of Venezuela's new Law of Communal Councils. Presenters discussed the convergence of political will and pressure from grassroots communities to support a bold shift to a truly participatory democracy. The session also shared information on different approaches to democracy in other regions of the globe, particularly the global south.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Hartling_DtoA-venezuela.pdf

Guidebook for the 2006 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation

By the 2006 NCDD Conference Planning Team (design and layout by NCDD's Creative Director, Andy Fluke). National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD), 2006.

The third NCDD conference (we feel, the best of the three!) took place in San Francisco, California in August 2006. The conference was designed to give us all a better sense of who we are as a community of practice, field, and/or movement, and provide us with a stronger sense of where we should go from here if we want to truly have the impact we believe we could and should have on the world.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/NCDD2006_Guidebook.pdf

Guidelines for Sponsoring Community Dialogues on Mapping a Culture of Peace

John W. Frank, Ed.D..

This 5-page document was handed out at John Frank, Ed.D.'s workshop at the 2006 NCDD conference. The workshop, "Mapping A Culture of Peace: A Community Conversation Project of the Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice," focused on the experience of a remarkably successful and innovative project on Mapping a Culture of Peace in Florida.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Guidelines_Comm_Dlogs.doc

Ten Public Involvement 'Hot Spots'

Institute for Local Government.

This 2-page document was used as a handout for the workshop entitled "Collaborative Governance in Local Government: Choosing Practice Models and Assessing Experience" given by Terry Amsler, Lisa Blomgren Bingham, and Malka Kopell at the 2006 NCDD Conference. While most public involvement strategies offer positive results for all, some efforts are not as effective as sponsors and participants would like. Outlined in this two-page document are a few of the 'hot spots' where extra attention may mean the difference between success and failure.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Hot_Spots.doc

The Evolutionary Role of Dialogue and Deliberation

What is the role D&D people play in society's evolution? How can we call forth our potential for helping society evolve to be more conscious, effective, and wise? Tom Atlee and Peggy Holman asked these questions during their popular workshop at NCDD's 2006 conference in San Francisco. Download their handouts - a 7-page paper by Tom, a 10-page chapter from The Change Handbook by Peggy, and a 3-page document featuring three diagrams....

When the Client is the Problem

This is the handout from the workshop entitled "When the Client is the Problem" given by Susan Christy, PhD, CMC at the 2006 NCDD conference in San Francisco. It includes some great talking points to help you construct how to prepare your client during contracting, how to deliver feedback constructively (How to say, ?“You?’re the problem.?”), how to support his/her shifting emotions and understanding, and how to help the client accept responsibility, take action and repair damaged relationships.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Client_is_the_Problem.doc

Wisdom Council workshop handouts

Jim Rough and Deanna Martin.

Here are the five great handouts from "The Wisdom Council: A Tool for Empowering 'We the People'" - facilitated by Jim Rough and Deanna Martin at the 2006 NCDD Conference in San Francisco.

Witness Circles, Samoan Circles and Inquiry Circles

Lisa Heft.

Lisa Heft distributed this meaty two-page handout during her "showcase" session on these processes at the 2006 NCDD conference in San Francisco. ?“Samoan?” Circles invite participants to share thoughts on complex and even conflicting issues - without feeling that someone will be solving, arguing or debating what they are sharing - and knowing that what they say will be witnessed by others. Inquiry Circles invite deep, rich thinking through the sharing of richly-textured questions, without any cross-dialogue but instead engaging the group in deep listening and weaving a deeper understanding together. Lisa Heft uses the term ?“Witness Circles?” as an overarching term for these and other similar methods.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/heft-witness_circles.doc

Your City/Your Decision: Citizen-Based Budgeting in Menlo Park, CA

Malka Kopell, Community Focus.

This 5-page PowerPoint document was created as a handout for the workshop entitled "Collaborative Governance in Local Government: Choosing Practice Models and Assessing Experience" given by Terry Amsler, Lisa Blomgren Bingham, and Malka Kopell at the 2006 NCDD Conference in San Francisco. The session addressed how civic engagement practitioners can assist local governments in thinking systematically about and choosing among the various forms of civic engagement in public decision-making. Using this and other documents, Kopell described a year-long process to involve the Menlo Park, California community in decisions about a sustainable funding strategy for city-provided services.

Resource Link: http://www.thataway.org/exchange/files/docs/Kopell-budgeting.ppt