Troubling Consensus: Guiding Principles for Community Dialogues When Unanimity Is Not the Aim

• In Event: 41.069 - Deliberation, Democracy, and Justice

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to problematize “reason” as a value for democratic deliberation. My critique is organized into these two overarching claims: (1) “reason” is a social construction and therefore reinforcing of privilege and (2) valuing “reasonable discourse” perpetuates inequalities, including the marginalization of some forms of talk. Next, I review how deliberative theorists and practitioners have responded to such concerns by suggesting alternative forms of public deliberation, including the accommodation of a variety of discursive modes. Finally, I make recommendations for further study and research.

Author

• Maravene Taylor-Heine, University of Colorado - Boulder