Deliberative Democracy – A Necessary and Viable Option?
“People who are oppressed or reduced to the culture of silence do not participate in their own humanization.” ~ Paolo Freire
Deliberative democracy is built on participation, in a meaningful process to find common ground in terms of equality, freedoms, and justice. The Carnation Revolution of 1974 in Portugal started the wave of democratic growth around the world, but that momentum dissipated long ago. We now see a global crisis of confidence in democracy and an overall global democratic decline over the past 16 years. Can democracy deliver? While deliberative democracy is not new, it is now attracting considerable attention as one possible way to reinvigorate democracy, engage citizens, strengthen equality, and promote democratic values.
The SID-US Democracy, Rights, & Governance Workgroup and the Center for Values in International Development, with support from the Global Human Development Program at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, invite you to participate in a special hybrid panel event on deliberative democracy, at the Mortara Center for International Studies in Georgetown, and online. The panel features Prof. David A. Crocker, who is a leading thinker on democratic values and deliberative democracy. Two highly experienced democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) practitioners – Eva Mulema Matsiko from RTI in Uganda, and independent DRG subject matter expert Aaron Chassy will explore what deliberative democracy can offer at this critical juncture, and respond to a question posed earlier by Dr. Crocker: “Is deliberative democracy too rationalistic and orderly for the messy and passionate worlds of democratic politics?”
The panel will be moderated by the President of the Center for Values in International Development, and former USAID Senior Advisor on DRG in Africa, Dr. Chloe Schwenke.
Thank you to RTI International for providing refreshments for our in-person attendees.