Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs

There are various approaches to facilitation in deliberative mini-publics, yet the scholarly literature remains relatively underdeveloped in identifying which approaches to facilitation are useful in achieving certain deliberative goals. This article compares facilitation approaches based on their p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daniel Oppold, Dirk von Schneidemesser, Dorota Stasiak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Westminster Press 2023-03-01
Series:Journal of Deliberative Democracy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://delibdemjournal.org/article/id/1096/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849389615651225600
author Daniel Oppold
Dirk von Schneidemesser
Dorota Stasiak
author_facet Daniel Oppold
Dirk von Schneidemesser
Dorota Stasiak
author_sort Daniel Oppold
collection DOAJ
description There are various approaches to facilitation in deliberative mini-publics, yet the scholarly literature remains relatively underdeveloped in identifying which approaches to facilitation are useful in achieving certain deliberative goals. This article compares facilitation approaches based on their potential to achieve different deliberative goals by examining three cases of deliberative mini-publics on urban transformations in the German city of Magdeburg. All three mini-publics were given the same task but were implemented using a particular approach to facilitation: (1) self-organized; (2) a multi-method approach; and (3) dynamic facilitation. We analyzed video recordings and surveys conducted among participants and found that differences in facilitation influence the process of deliberation in numerous ways. While deliberation can happen without a facilitator, certain deliberative goals can be better achieved when the process is professionally facilitated. More stringent or involved facilitation, however, may not serve every purpose of deliberation equally. There are trade-offs when designing, convening, or facilitating deliberative processes, and no approach fits all mini-publics. We conclude the article by identifying the implications of our findings for the scholarship and practice of citizen deliberation in structured forums and beyond.
format Article
id doaj-art-ef91c142a82a43b1934d8f123342ab21
institution Kabale University
issn 2634-0488
language English
publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher University of Westminster Press
record_format Article
series Journal of Deliberative Democracy
spelling doaj-art-ef91c142a82a43b1934d8f123342ab212025-08-20T03:41:54ZengUniversity of Westminster PressJournal of Deliberative Democracy2634-04882023-03-0119110.16997/jdd.1096Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative DesignsDaniel Oppold0Dirk von Schneidemesser1Dorota Stasiak2Co-Creation and Contemporary Policy Advice, IASS PotsdamCo-Creation and Contemporary Policy Advice, Research Institute for SustainabilityCo-Creation and Contemporary Policy Advice, IASS PotsdamThere are various approaches to facilitation in deliberative mini-publics, yet the scholarly literature remains relatively underdeveloped in identifying which approaches to facilitation are useful in achieving certain deliberative goals. This article compares facilitation approaches based on their potential to achieve different deliberative goals by examining three cases of deliberative mini-publics on urban transformations in the German city of Magdeburg. All three mini-publics were given the same task but were implemented using a particular approach to facilitation: (1) self-organized; (2) a multi-method approach; and (3) dynamic facilitation. We analyzed video recordings and surveys conducted among participants and found that differences in facilitation influence the process of deliberation in numerous ways. While deliberation can happen without a facilitator, certain deliberative goals can be better achieved when the process is professionally facilitated. More stringent or involved facilitation, however, may not serve every purpose of deliberation equally. There are trade-offs when designing, convening, or facilitating deliberative processes, and no approach fits all mini-publics. We conclude the article by identifying the implications of our findings for the scholarship and practice of citizen deliberation in structured forums and beyond.https://delibdemjournal.org/article/id/1096/mini-publicsfacilitationdeliberative democracyparticipationurban design
spellingShingle Daniel Oppold
Dirk von Schneidemesser
Dorota Stasiak
Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
Journal of Deliberative Democracy
mini-publics
facilitation
deliberative democracy
participation
urban design
title Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
title_full Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
title_fullStr Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
title_full_unstemmed Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
title_short Diversity in Facilitation: Mapping Differences in Deliberative Designs
title_sort diversity in facilitation mapping differences in deliberative designs
topic mini-publics
facilitation
deliberative democracy
participation
urban design
url https://delibdemjournal.org/article/id/1096/
work_keys_str_mv AT danieloppold diversityinfacilitationmappingdifferencesindeliberativedesigns
AT dirkvonschneidemesser diversityinfacilitationmappingdifferencesindeliberativedesigns
AT dorotastasiak diversityinfacilitationmappingdifferencesindeliberativedesigns