Deliberative Democracy
It is a model of democracy in which decision-making is based on public discussion and debate, involving the active participation of all those potentially affected by such decisions. In this approach, dialogue and argumentation are essential to reach agreements, going beyond simple majority voting. This model seeks to include the different perspectives and knowledge of citizens in order to make more informed and fairer decisions.
Deliberation
Deliberation is a form of “mutual communication that involves weighing and reflecting on preferences, values, and interests in relation to matters of common concern” (Bächtiger et al., 2018: 1). A deliberative process involves discussing alternative perspectives respectfully until decisions are reached or options or outcomes are defined with sufficient information. Public deliberation is thus a form of communication that is “uncoerced, respectful of others, reasoned, inclusive and egalitarian” (Chappell, 2012: 7-10; see also Curato et al., 2021).
Evidence-based policy development
It is a systematic and transparent approach that draws on the best available data, research and other forms of evidence and knowledge to inform policy development. This approach recognizes that the types of evidence used and how they contribute to policy making also involve social, political and economic considerations.
Policy dilemmas
It is a complex problem in which decisions must be made or policies implemented with multiple options, each of which has significant and often contradictory consequences. These dilemmas involve conflicts of values, interests and principles, and there is no solution that resolves all problems simultaneously and satisfactorily. Decision-making in a political dilemma often requires balancing competing interests and may result in compromise or the need to prioritize certain values over others.
Facilitation
Facilitation is the art of facilitating inclusive, meaningful and productive conversations (Escobar, 2011). The work of facilitators is a key factor in high quality collaborative, participatory and deliberative processes (Escobar, 2019). Their expertise in process design, inclusive practices, participatory methods, deliberative norms, consensus-building approaches, decision-making formats and conflict resolution techniques is essential to the success of a mini-public.
Institutionalization
This term refers to the establishment of a citizen participation process as a permanent feature of the governance system. For more information, see the OECD report “Eight Ways to Institutionalize Deliberative Democracy” (OECD, 2021), which outlines eight models for institutionalizing mini-publics that enhance collective decision-making beyond ad hoc initiatives. The report provides examples of how to create structures that enable mini-publics to become an integral part of public decision-making.
Mini-public
It is a citizen participation forum composed of a descriptive sample of the population, selected by civic lottery, to deliberate and make evidence-based decisions that inform policy and/or action. The individuals are carefully selected to reflect the diversity of people affected by the political issue. This group is supported to work together, review the evidence and define informed choices or outcomes. There are many types of mini-publics: Citizens’ Juries, Planning Cells, Citizens’ Assemblies, Citizens’ Conventions, Citizens’ Panels, Consensus Conferences, Citizens’ Councils and Citizens’ Committees. For more information and frequently asked questions on the topic, see the paper entitled “Forms of mini-publics: an introduction to deliberative innovations in democratic practice” (Escobar and Elstub, 2017).
Trade-offs
Trade-offs occur when two or more elements that are normally desirable, but are incompatible or in conflict with each other. In decision making, a trade-off involves sacrificing certain aspects in favor of others to achieve the best possible outcome within a set of constraints or limitations. In politics, economics and management, trade-offs are common considerations when assessing the costs and benefits of different actions.
Deliberative process
It is a participatory mechanism in which a diverse group of people meet to consider and discuss various aspects of a specific issue or policy. The purpose is to reflect collectively, discuss options and often reach informed conclusions or recommendations. These processes may be called Citizens’ Panels, Juries, Conventions or Assemblies, and are characterized by their mini-public, focus on information, inclusion, and careful reflection.
Civic lottery
The civic lottery or democratic lottery allows any member of the population to have the opportunity to be selected to participate in a deliberative process. First, a random invitation is issued, which generates a large group of people who accept the invitation. From this group, a stratification is performed to select volunteers who reflect diverse demographic characteristics such as age, gender, location, educational level and attitudinal criteria that allow the inclusion of a variety of perspectives and experiences relevant to the subject matter. For this purpose, social science techniques are used to form a descriptive and diverse group, thus minimizing self-selection bias and ensuring a descriptive sample of the population.
This glossary is adapted from definitions found in various publications: World Health Organization (2022). Implementing citizen engagement within evidence-informed policy-making: an overview of purpose and methods. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/364361; Q. Brugué, E. Carrera, M. Shaimi (University of Girona), D. Tarragó (Neopolis), Deliberation, public policy and racism in real estate, 2024, unpublished.