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Bridging normative democratic theory and internet technologies: A proposal for scaling citizen policy deliberations

  • Trinity College Dublin
  • Kilkenny County Council

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article presents an experimental model for citizen deliberation that bridges the gap between developments in normative deliberative theory, and online participation and deliberation in practice. The Social Web for Inclusive and Transparent democracy (SOWIT) model is designed for integration into policy-making processes. It is currently being developed in consultation with citizens, civil society organizations, and Councilors in an Irish local authority and will be implemented in 2014. Our approach is rooted in Dryzek and Niemeyer's (Dryzek and Niemeyer [2008]. American Political Science Review 102(4): 481-93) innovations in discursive representation and meta-consensus as well as Bächtiger et al.'s (Bächtiger et al. [2010]. Journal of Political Philosophy 18: 32-63) sequential approach to deliberation. SOWIT pioneers a dynamic implementation of a meta-consensus framework for structuring and incentivizing policy deliberations. In this article, we present the model, explain its normative rationale, and outline the experimental framework.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)462-485
Number of pages24
JournalPolicy and Internet
Volume5
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2013

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

  • deliberation
  • deliberative democracy
  • discursive representation
  • meta-consensus

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