Slow Democracy Resources
The number of organizations and publications dealing with local, deliberative democracy is growing every day. For starters, we offer a small sampling here.
Organizations
National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation
NCDD represents dialogue and deliberation practitioners and scholars from a wide variety of fields. NCDD hosts conferences, creates educational materials, and facilitates online and in-person professional networking. Their monthly email updates reach over 33,000 subscribers. NCDD’s online resource center offers over 2,600 resources for dialogue, deliberation, and public engagement. Here you can find descriptions and links to books, articles, case studies, evaluation tools, videos, organizations, and foundations. www.ncdd.org
Deliberative Democracy Consortium
A network of practitioners and researchers of deliberative democracy that has developed new tools, assembled new networks, and assisted federal agencies. Listserv offers ongoing updates on the dialogue and deliberation field. Together with IAP2 (below), it publishes the Journal of Public Deliberation. www.deliberative-democracy.net
International Association for Public Participation
IAP2 is a networking, research, and advocacy organization. Among other things, IAP2 offers a certificate training course in public participation, and together with the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (above), it publishes the Journal of Public Deliberation. www.IAP2.org
National League of Cities
NLC is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. In addition to its advocacy and programs, it offers a variety of leadership and community-engagement-related studies, publications, and other resources. www.nlc.org
League of Women Voters
LWV is nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. LWV offers a wealth of resources for local LWV chapters to use in their consensus or concurrence processes, through which they research and take positions on issues. www.lwv.org
Everyday Democracy
The goal of Everyday Democracy’s programs and services is to help create communities that work better for everyone because all voices are included in public problem solving, and to link that work to creating a stronger democracy. Creator of the Study Circles dialogue and deliberation process, Everyday Democracy offers community assistance, training, and a variety of tools and techniques. Find resources at www.everyday-democracy.org.
Kettering Foundation
Kettering is a nonprofit foundation focusing on what it takes to make democracy work as it should. It does not make grants but engages in joint research. It also produces issue books and videos for the National Issues Forum deliberations. Look for the group’s research findings (books, research papers, videos) as well as its three periodicals (Connections, Higher Education Exchange, and Kettering Review) on its website. www.kettering.org
Orton Family Foundation
The Orton Family Foundation helps small cities and towns, primarily in the Northeast and the Rocky Mountain West, harness the inherent ability of citizens to imagine and achieve a better future for themselves and their communities. Through its Heart and Soul Community Planning process, the Foundation promotes inclusive, proactive decision making and land use planning by offering guidance, tools, research, capital and other support to selected communities. Implementation guides and other tools are available at www.orton.org.
Center for Public Deliberation
Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation works with local governments and organization to elevate the quality of public discourse. Professor Martin Carcasson and his team offer resources for understanding and addressing “wicked problems.”
See below for more organizations working specifically to bridge America’s divides.
Publications
For an easy-to-use overview booklet on dialogue and deliberations processes, see the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberations' Engagement Streams Framework.
For an academic assessment of the field, see Tina Nabatchi, John Gastil, C Michael Weiksner, and Matt Leighninger, Democracy in Motion: Evaluating the Practice and Impact of Deliberative Civic Engagement, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012).
For a list of engagement methods, see Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, and Steven Cady, The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today’s Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2007).
For a survey of the field of deliberative democracy, see John Gastil and Peter Levine, eds., The Deliberative Democracy Handbook, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005).
Recommended facilitation guides include:
Sandy Schuman, IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation: Best Practices from the Leading Organization in Facilitation (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005)
Roger Schwartz, The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches, 2nd ed., (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002)
Bridging America's Divides
Learn more about convening people of opposing views from these groups:
CivilPolitics.org — Evidence-based methods for improving inter-group civility and bridging moral divisions. Cofounded by Jonathan Haidt. Accessible research, practical reviews and resources.
The Village Square —“A nervy bunch of liberals and conservatives who believe that disagreement and dialogue make for a good conversation, a good country, and a good time.” Resources, newsletter, blog, and events.
Bridging Differences, an initiative of Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, offering articles, videos, podcasts and events, mixes science and storytelling to help overcome political and cultural polarization. See their Bridging Differences Playbook with skills and strategies to foster dialogue.
“Reaching Across the Red/Blue Divide” -- Guide for Conversations Across the Red/Blue Divide, created by Essential Partners
Living Room Conversations — Resources to host small-group, liberal/conservative dialogues developed by Joan Blades, co-founder of MoveOn.org
Make America Dinner Again — “Respectful conversation, guided activities, and delicious food shared among 6-10 guests who have differing political viewpoints, and our country's best interests at heart.”
Conversation Cafe DIY tools to host dialogues “about things that really matter.”
All-America Conversations from the National Civic League, a toolkit that “provides communities with everything necessary to hold a productive and meaningful conversation – just add residents.”
Braver Angels project works to depolarize American politics through structured conversation and workshops engaging “Red” and “Blue” participants
Make Shift Coffee House Bridging political divides with coffee, music, and face-to-face (or online) facilitated conversation
Heterodox Academy is a group of professors, administrators, K-12 educators, staff & students working to improve research and education in universities by increasing open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement. Resources, podcasts, and events.
National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation A virtual firehose of resources for dialogue and deliberation on all issues; rich in new tools for bridging the red/blue divide.
The Bridge Alliance — A trans-partisan network of organizations (including many of those listed above) working to strengthen fair and accessible democratic engagement and governance.
Suggested readings for understanding and bridging Right/Left issues
“Welcoming Conservatives” Village Square 101: Key tips for liberals welcoming conservative neighbors into vibrant dialogue (and new friendships)
The Science of Reasoning with Unreasonable People: Includes links to research on the science behind why we accept or reject new points of view
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America and
American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good
both by Colin Woodard
Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit by Parker J. Palmer
The Road to Somewhere: The Populist Revolt and the Future of Politics and
Head, Heart, Hand: Why Intelligence is Over-Rewarded, Manual Workers Matter, and Caregivers Deserve More Respect
both by David Goodhart
Beyond Contempt: How Liberals Can Communicate Across the Great Divide by Erica Etelson
Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation by Brian Emerson and Kelly Lewis
Cultural Cognition Resources
Ever wonder how citizens can continue to disagree on public issues, even when scientists have reached fundamental agreement about them? Issue framing and spokespeople matter. Listen to professor Dan Kahan speak about cultural cognition here and here. You can find additional Cultural Cognition resources here.
For a popular application of cultural cognition theory, see John Gastil, Dan M. Kahan, and Donald Braman, "The Good News about the Culture Wars," Boston Review, March/April 2006.