In person icon Connecting Deliberative and Direct Democracy

Abstract

As democracies grapple with declining trust and polarization, both deliberative and direct democratic innovations have been discussed as potential remedies. Though both of these approaches are based on the idea that regular citizens should have greater involvement in political processes, they emerge from different theoretical traditions and are often studied separately. This panel brings them together, both to explore each’s individual potential, and to explore how the two approaches could complement one other. This panel combines both theoretical and empirical research. It draws from a number of contexts to help us better understand both practical issues regarding the implementation of these procedures, as well as the larger impacts of both direct and deliberative innovations on trust and polarization. By bringing together research on citizens' assemblies, initiative reviews, as well as referendums, the panel contributes to broader debates about democratic renewal and institutional design. Most importantly, it advances our understanding of how different forms of citizen participation can potentially work together to build stronger democratic institutions.

Title	Details
Functions and Mechanisms of Voting in Relation to Mini-Public Deliberations	View Paper Details
Deliberative Versus Direct Democracy. Why Did the French Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Reject Ratification by Referendum?	View Paper Details
Mini-Publics and Representative Government: How Deliberation on Climate Change Influences Trust in Institutions	View Paper Details
Maximising Deliberative Impacts	View Paper Details
Conflict-Driven Combinations of Deliberative Mini-Publics and Direct Democratic Instruments: Insights from Germany.	View Paper Details