| Description |
The deliberative forum provides a space where everyday citizens can develop collective solutions to their most pressing issues. This can be a powerful site for adult civic education, as participants learn the habits, skills, and dispositions that contribute to a healthy democracy. What is more, the deliberative forum provides exposure to new perspectives with the potential to challenge deeply held assumptions. Such outcomes do not come easily, however. Groups often benefit from the presence of an independent facilitator to cultivate an environment in which this learning can occur. The role of facilitator is therefore essential to the deliberative forum, though it is often overlooked in the literature. This study asks how deliberative practitioners work to create environments that are conducive to transformative learning experiences with the potential to challenge assumptions and critically interrogate dominant societal narratives. In contrast to accounts of deliberative democracy that assume the ability of groups to think well with one another, this study's findings demonstrate the active role that facilitators play to foster this outcome. I identify several key practices that are often used by facilitators, which include protecting agency, providing structure, ensuring safety, navigating neutrality, and intervening with care. |
