At the core of democratic theory is a commitment to a system of governing that values and makes p... more At the core of democratic theory is a commitment to a system of governing that values and makes possible the participation of all citizens in matters that concern them. However, as the title of one article suggests, “Democracy: Optimal Illusions and Grim Realities” (Mueller 1999), while the goal may be clear, how to achieve this in practice has consistently proven to be more elusive and fraught with difficulties. A quick survey of the different contexts in which democracy is being hailed as the ideal form of government, where talk abounds about the importance of returning voice and power to the people, it is curious to note that in the inner workings of these “democratic” systems of governance and decision-making, the public of ordinary citizens or “we the people” to a large extent continue to remain absent and invisible. A critical look at current initiatives to develop and strengthen democratic culture and systems of governance suggest a significant gap between the “espoused theories” that articulate a clear need and commitment to promote and develop civic engagement and the “theories-in-use” (Argyris 1999) that become manifest in practices that often continue to marginalize and render invisible the public . In the first part of this paper I will illustrate one way in which well-intentioned efforts to become more inclusive in democratic practice can end up sustaining a system in which the people served continue to feel excluded, alienated and disengaged. In the second section, I discuss the concepts and practices of dialogue and deliberation as mechanisms which allow ordinary citizens to exercise their power and regain a sense of agency in matters that concern them. Finally, in the third section, I address some important theoretical and practical issues with which proponents of deliberation must continue to wrestle as the search for innovative ways of developing and strengthening democratic practice continue.
This paper emerges out of two parallel processes that have engaged my time, thoughts and energy d... more This paper emerges out of two parallel processes that have engaged my time, thoughts and energy during the past 18 months. The first was my experience as co-author of a Handbook on Dialogue; and the second, my exposure to the literature on human development and consciousness and more specifically to Ken Wilber’s approach to integral thinking.
In this paper I argue for the need to position educational initiatives aimed at developing and st... more In this paper I argue for the need to position educational initiatives aimed at developing and strengthening communicative competencies that favor a culture of dialogue within the framework of Transformative Learning Theory and then discuss how program designs based on blended models of dialogic and collaborative learning best serve the ends of transformation. I use the term “communicative competencies” to collectively refer to the sets of skills often associated with processes of conflict resolution, negotiation, mediation, dialogue and consensual decision-making because these processes are essentially “communicative actions” (Habermas 1984) that have as their ultimate purpose reaching mutual understanding and successfully coordinating actions.
This Handbook, sponsored jointly by International IDEA, the United Nations Development Programme ... more This Handbook, sponsored jointly by International IDEA, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), offers a comprehensive overview of the use of dialogue processes to address societal challenges in an inclusive, democratic way that engages a broad range of actors in bringing about positive change. It is addressed to people actively or potentially engaged in doing dialogue work—organizing, sponsoring, promoting, or facilitating dialogue processes within their institutions and societies. Most importantly, it is thoroughly grounded in the experience of dialogue practitioners from around the world. The Handbook provides a conceptual framework that speaks to critical questions: Why dialogue?', 'What is dialogue?' and `How does dialogue contribute to positive change?'. It offers a detailed guide to putting these concepts into practice, offering practical guidance and concrete examples from the field for each step: exploring whether a dialogue process is appropriate in the context; designing and then implementing a dialogue process; and conducting a meaningful process of monitoring and evaluation throughout. A third major part of the book anchors all of this information in the reality of three fully developed case studies showing different approaches in different regions— Latin America, Africa and Asia. In two appendices, the Handbook also provides a comparative overview of more than 30 cases and a guide to the rich array of dialogue processes and process tools that practitioners can consider for use, or just for inspiration.
At the core of democratic theory is a commitment to a system of governing that values and makes p... more At the core of democratic theory is a commitment to a system of governing that values and makes possible the participation of all citizens in matters that concern them. However, as the title of one article suggests, “Democracy: Optimal Illusions and Grim Realities” (Mueller 1999), while the goal may be clear, how to achieve this in practice has consistently proven to be more elusive and fraught with difficulties. A quick survey of the different contexts in which democracy is being hailed as the ideal form of government, where talk abounds about the importance of returning voice and power to the people, it is curious to note that in the inner workings of these “democratic” systems of governance and decision-making, the public of ordinary citizens or “we the people” to a large extent continue to remain absent and invisible. A critical look at current initiatives to develop and strengthen democratic culture and systems of governance suggest a significant gap between the “espoused theories” that articulate a clear need and commitment to promote and develop civic engagement and the “theories-in-use” (Argyris 1999) that become manifest in practices that often continue to marginalize and render invisible the public . In the first part of this paper I will illustrate one way in which well-intentioned efforts to become more inclusive in democratic practice can end up sustaining a system in which the people served continue to feel excluded, alienated and disengaged. In the second section, I discuss the concepts and practices of dialogue and deliberation as mechanisms which allow ordinary citizens to exercise their power and regain a sense of agency in matters that concern them. Finally, in the third section, I address some important theoretical and practical issues with which proponents of deliberation must continue to wrestle as the search for innovative ways of developing and strengthening democratic practice continue.
This paper emerges out of two parallel processes that have engaged my time, thoughts and energy d... more This paper emerges out of two parallel processes that have engaged my time, thoughts and energy during the past 18 months. The first was my experience as co-author of a Handbook on Dialogue; and the second, my exposure to the literature on human development and consciousness and more specifically to Ken Wilber’s approach to integral thinking.
In this paper I argue for the need to position educational initiatives aimed at developing and st... more In this paper I argue for the need to position educational initiatives aimed at developing and strengthening communicative competencies that favor a culture of dialogue within the framework of Transformative Learning Theory and then discuss how program designs based on blended models of dialogic and collaborative learning best serve the ends of transformation. I use the term “communicative competencies” to collectively refer to the sets of skills often associated with processes of conflict resolution, negotiation, mediation, dialogue and consensual decision-making because these processes are essentially “communicative actions” (Habermas 1984) that have as their ultimate purpose reaching mutual understanding and successfully coordinating actions.
This Handbook, sponsored jointly by International IDEA, the United Nations Development Programme ... more This Handbook, sponsored jointly by International IDEA, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), offers a comprehensive overview of the use of dialogue processes to address societal challenges in an inclusive, democratic way that engages a broad range of actors in bringing about positive change. It is addressed to people actively or potentially engaged in doing dialogue work—organizing, sponsoring, promoting, or facilitating dialogue processes within their institutions and societies. Most importantly, it is thoroughly grounded in the experience of dialogue practitioners from around the world. The Handbook provides a conceptual framework that speaks to critical questions: Why dialogue?', 'What is dialogue?' and `How does dialogue contribute to positive change?'. It offers a detailed guide to putting these concepts into practice, offering practical guidance and concrete examples from the field for each step: exploring whether a dialogue process is appropriate in the context; designing and then implementing a dialogue process; and conducting a meaningful process of monitoring and evaluation throughout. A third major part of the book anchors all of this information in the reality of three fully developed case studies showing different approaches in different regions— Latin America, Africa and Asia. In two appendices, the Handbook also provides a comparative overview of more than 30 cases and a guide to the rich array of dialogue processes and process tools that practitioners can consider for use, or just for inspiration.
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A quick survey of the different contexts in which democracy is being hailed as the ideal form of government, where talk abounds about the importance of returning voice and power to the people, it is curious to note that in the inner workings of these “democratic” systems of governance and decision-making, the public of ordinary citizens or “we the people” to a large extent continue to remain absent and invisible. A critical look at current initiatives to develop and strengthen democratic culture and systems of governance suggest a significant gap between the “espoused theories” that articulate a clear need and commitment to promote and develop civic engagement and the “theories-in-use” (Argyris 1999) that become manifest in practices that often continue to marginalize and render invisible the public .
In the first part of this paper I will illustrate one way in which well-intentioned efforts to become more inclusive in democratic practice can end up sustaining a system in which the people served continue to feel excluded, alienated and disengaged. In the second section, I discuss the concepts and practices of dialogue and deliberation as mechanisms which allow ordinary citizens to exercise their power and regain a sense of agency in matters that concern them. Finally, in the third section, I address some important theoretical and practical issues with which proponents of deliberation must continue to wrestle as the search for innovative ways of developing and strengthening democratic practice continue.
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The Handbook provides a conceptual framework that speaks to critical questions: Why dialogue?', 'What is dialogue?' and `How does dialogue contribute to positive change?'. It offers a detailed guide to putting these concepts into practice, offering practical guidance and concrete examples from the field for each step: exploring whether a dialogue process is appropriate in the context; designing and then implementing a dialogue process; and conducting a meaningful process of monitoring and evaluation throughout.
A third major part of the book anchors all of this information in the reality of three fully developed case studies showing different approaches in different regions— Latin America, Africa and Asia. In two appendices, the Handbook also provides a comparative overview of more than 30 cases and a guide to the rich array of dialogue processes and process tools that practitioners can consider for use, or just for inspiration.
A quick survey of the different contexts in which democracy is being hailed as the ideal form of government, where talk abounds about the importance of returning voice and power to the people, it is curious to note that in the inner workings of these “democratic” systems of governance and decision-making, the public of ordinary citizens or “we the people” to a large extent continue to remain absent and invisible. A critical look at current initiatives to develop and strengthen democratic culture and systems of governance suggest a significant gap between the “espoused theories” that articulate a clear need and commitment to promote and develop civic engagement and the “theories-in-use” (Argyris 1999) that become manifest in practices that often continue to marginalize and render invisible the public .
In the first part of this paper I will illustrate one way in which well-intentioned efforts to become more inclusive in democratic practice can end up sustaining a system in which the people served continue to feel excluded, alienated and disengaged. In the second section, I discuss the concepts and practices of dialogue and deliberation as mechanisms which allow ordinary citizens to exercise their power and regain a sense of agency in matters that concern them. Finally, in the third section, I address some important theoretical and practical issues with which proponents of deliberation must continue to wrestle as the search for innovative ways of developing and strengthening democratic practice continue.
The Handbook provides a conceptual framework that speaks to critical questions: Why dialogue?', 'What is dialogue?' and `How does dialogue contribute to positive change?'. It offers a detailed guide to putting these concepts into practice, offering practical guidance and concrete examples from the field for each step: exploring whether a dialogue process is appropriate in the context; designing and then implementing a dialogue process; and conducting a meaningful process of monitoring and evaluation throughout.
A third major part of the book anchors all of this information in the reality of three fully developed case studies showing different approaches in different regions— Latin America, Africa and Asia. In two appendices, the Handbook also provides a comparative overview of more than 30 cases and a guide to the rich array of dialogue processes and process tools that practitioners can consider for use, or just for inspiration.