Conference paper

DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY AND MINI-PUBLICS

Graham Smith ; School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

Abstract

The increasing use of mini-publics in the policy process, ranging from citizens’ juries and deliberative polls to the more recent British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly, has coincided with the emergence of theories of deliberative democracy. A growing number of deliberative democrats have turned their attention to mini-publics arguing that they embody desirable institutional characteristics. This article analyses the extent to which mini-publics live up to the deliberative ideal and the ways in which the analysis of the practice of mini-publics allows us to reflect on the evaluative commitments of theorists.

Keywords

deliberation; deliberative democracy; mini-publics; democratic participation

Hrčak ID:

37868

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/37868

Publication date:

15.6.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.866 *