Public Deliberation Overview

An Overview of Deliberation

(updated November 2003)

Deliberation (or deliberative dialogue) is a "social technology" that provides opportunities for people to deliberate on key social issues. Through the course of a deliberation, participants work through tough choices to explore the areas of common ground from which alternatives can develop and some action can spring. They are values-based dialogues as opposed to agenda-driven debates.

Deliberation has developed in response to Canadians' growing frustration with the ways high priority social issues are dealt with in our society today. Several recent polls and dialogues with the public illustrate that Canadians do care about what is happening in their society and are very willing to give time to talk about it if they know they will be listened to. What they are tired of and indeed angry at is the current ways issues are discussed - where there only tends to be two sides to an issue - "one is wrong, the other is ours". This puts people in the position of having to agree with one side or the other if they are to get involved or take action. Alternative choices are lost.

The gray areas of issues that most people experience in their daily lives do not find easy expression in this debate format. Instead people want to be able to work their way through different options, to weight pros and cons, explore trade-offs and perhaps together find new solutions or at least common ground for action. The box below provides a closer look at the difference between deliberative dialogue and debate.

Deliberative dialogue versus Debate

What is Public Deliberation?

Public deliberation involves bringing together people from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints to work through different approaches to solving a problem. These approaches are generally outlined in a participants’ guide that presents the pros and cons of each approach in a balanced way. The choices are not mutually exclusive, but each approaches the issue from a different perspective based on different core values.

In a typical deliberation forum of three hours, a group of anywhere from five to 20 people deliberates about the different approaches with the assistance of a trained moderator. The emphasis is on mutual respect, sharing of views and building on the views of others, rather than on debate or attack. A "recorder" observes the deliberation and listens for points of agreement. At the end of the deliberation, the recorder reviews the findings from the deliberation with the group to see if there is anything that everyone can agree upon—any common ground that can form the basis for future action on the issue.

People do not need to be experts to participate in a deliberation, because deliberation is ultimately about values. The participants’ guide provides background information, and with the assistance of skilled moderators, people can rapidly make the connections between an issue such as globalization and their own experiences. Unlike the polarized debates that dominate public discussion on many issues, deliberation provides a chance to explore approaches, test ideas, and consider grey areas. It can help people break out of habitual viewpoints and consider new options. It also provides a format in which people can begin to make connections between local and global issues.

In a successful deliberation, people must face up to the contradictions and long-term consequences of their opinions, and make choices. By working through the conflicts and trade-offs associated with an issue, people clarify what is most important to them, improve their understanding of the issue, and may find common ground from which alternatives can develop. Any common ground that does emerge represents a more considered public judgment than the top-of-the-head opinions collected through surveys and polls.  

Basic Components of Deliberative Dialogues

• Inclusiveness: Diversity is the spice of life for deliberation. Inviting and encouraging all to attend eliminates a great deal of resistance and skepticism. Developing multi-sectoral planning groups from the beginning helps to ensure a deliberation process that is seen to be open to all.

• Publicity: Ensure that people are aware of the opportunity to deliberate by promoting and advertising it in a variety of ways.