Public Deliberation and Action: Key Findings Elena Fagotto Senior Research Associate John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (Archon Fung, PI, Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation) 2006 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation San Francisco - August 4-6, 2006

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Agenda… 1. Welcome, introductions and groundrules 2. What this workshop is about 3. Scope and design of research 4. Embeddedness hypothesis 5. Cases in brief 6. Deliberative entrepreneurs 7. Embedding deliberation 8. Deliberation to action

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Welcome, introductions and groundrules Welcome Round of introductions, why we are here Groundrules:  Interrupt and ask if concept unclear  Respect for other participants  Sharing finding of research but also opportunities for participation

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August What this workshop is about: learning objectives Together, we will explore: the connections between deliberation and public action how deliberation can influence public policy and institutions the concept of “embedded deliberation” and how it can sustain action ideas to maximize the impact of deliberation We will NOT talk about: A specific deliberative process or technique Deliberation’s impact on individuals (personal change) Deliberation in the context of conflict resolution

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Scope and design of research  Case studies to document of intentional deliberation and local decision-making  Conceptual framework of embeddedness: how non-deliberative practices and institutions are affected by deliberative events  Connections between deliberation, embeddedness and action

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Scope and design of research (continued) Case Selection  Begin with national organizations: NIF, Study Circles  Identify “robust” deliberative initiatives  Qualitative case study approach  Analysis of data and relevant materials  Interviews  Participation in trainings/observation of deliberative events

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Scope and design of research (continued) Case study objectives  Explain origins  Characterize deliberative initiative — issues, participants, problems addressed, exclusions and conflicts, decisions and outcomes  Connections between deliberative initiative and community institutions & organizations (embeddedness)  Actions that resulted from deliberation

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August What is Embedded Deliberation: Iterated use of public deliberation by groups, organizations, public institutions Indicators of embeddedness:  Adaptation of deliberative models to address local issues  Adoption of public deliberation to advance specific objectives  Repeated use of public deliberation overtime 4. The Embeddedness Hypothesis Hypothesis: Embedded deliberation is more likely to lead to action

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August The Embeddedness Hypothesis (continued) Hypothesis: Embedded deliberation is more likely to lead to action

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August “Completed” cases West Virginia, NIF South Dakota IIF Hawai’i, NIF, state legislators Connecticut Community Conversations Kuna, ID, Study Circles Portsmouth, NH, Study Circles Cases in progress Kansas City, KS, Study Circles Montgomery County, MD, Study Circles 5. Cases in Brief

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Cases in Brief: West Virginia’s Forums WV Center for Civic life, est. mid 1990s Betty Knighton, a strong local leader NIF model adapted for local framing Partnership with local organizations  Forums on domestic violence  Forums on underage drinking  University of Charleston, WV  Local campuses

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Cases in Brief: SD Indigenous Issues Forums Initiative to create a safe space to talk about challenging tribal issues Dialogues in circle, using art, Native American tradition More about process than issue Objective is personal transformation and building relationship with other institutions, not policy change or action Local partnerships and international work

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Cases in Brief: Public Deliberation in Hawai’i  Public Policy University of Hawai’i  Some local framing  Sen. Les Ihara: a local champion of deliberation  Connection with State Legislators  Keiki Caucus, 15 years of deliberation  Stakeholders provide input for public policies around children issues  Year-round process, Keiki Summit (children, citizens)  Creation of shared agenda, cross advocacy  Legislative package

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Cases in Brief: CT Community Conversations on Education  Since 1997, 6,000+ participants, 80+ communities  Sponsored by local foundation, managed by LWV  Requires large coalitions of conveners  Emphasis on action and follow-up  Some communities held numerous conversations  Schools incorporate community input

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August How deliberation starts… Deliberative entrepreneurs They identify a gap in the “market” for public deliberation Needs:  Engage citizens in public sphere  Public institutions and civil society organizations can use public deliberation as problem solving tool  Public deliberation to provide input for policy-making In most cases, “deliberative entrepreneurs” are crucial for the promotion of public deliberation

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberative entrepreneurs (continued) Demand Citizens Organizations Policy-makers Supply National Networks Deliberative Entrepreneurs Short term: Identify appropriate spaces for deliberation Long term: Create a culture of deliberation GOALS

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberative entrepreneurs (continued) National networks Deliberative entrepreneurs Deliberative catalysts Local institutional support

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberative entrepreneurs (continued) Deliberative entrepreneur Deliberative catalyst Local institutional support Betty Knighton, WV, NIFWest Virginia Center for Civic Life University of Charleston Ruth Yellow Hawk, SD IIF Indigenous Issues Forums Limited Dolores Foley, Les Ihara, Suzanne Chun- Oakland, HI, NIF, stakeholder engagement Hawaii Public Policy Forums University of Hawai’i, Hawai’i state legislators Graustein Memorial Fund, Public Agenda Connecticut Community Conversations Graustein Memorial Fund, League of Women Voters

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberative entrepreneurs (continued) Discussion Points:  How do we support and cultivate deliberative entrepreneurs?  Only deliberative entrepreneurs or other strategies to bring deliberation to a community?  Strategies to “sell” public deliberation with community, institutions etc.  Other

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Embedding deliberation Adapting Deliberation for Local Issues Deliberation to Advance Objectives of Organizations Repeated Use Overtime West Virginia Working families, opportunities for young adults Curb domestic violence, underage drinking; local universities University of Charleston South Dakota Tribal Language conservation, development on reservation Some local partnershipsLimited Hawai’iChoosing a future for Hawaii, Democratic caucus retreat Keiki Caucus to provide input to legislators Keiki Caucus, 15 years ConnecticutStudents time, school budget, gay teens CT DOE to test early childcare needs, other local organizations Bridgeport, since 1997 over 40 conversations, people

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Why embed public deliberation?  Relevance: importance of topic, urgency of certain issues (school, safety)  Ownership: internalizing deliberation as an adaptable problem-solving tool  Positive dialogue: deliberation as an alternative to traditional, more contentious meetings Embedding deliberation (continued)

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Embedding deliberation (continued)  Six sponsors with institutional capacity  Diverse planning committee  Engaging key “observers”  How deliberation is structured…from identifying problems to “what can we do about it”  Focus on follow up after deliberation and action (setting date, compiling notes…)  Grants for alumni  Obstacles and how to face them Intentional embeddedness: embedding deliberation by design

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Embedding deliberation (continued) Because high investment required, organizers “own” Community Conversations Topic chosen is highly relevant to form local coalition Organizers have incentives to maximize outcome, do follow-up work Deliberation is “different” kind of meeting, new process to engage citizens, positive experience to try again Some communities, like Bridgeport, “get it” and use conversations overtime, creating critical mass Q & A

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Discussion Points:  Best strategies to embed deliberation?  Focus on design  Deliberative entrepreneurs  Local alliances  Are there best venues for embeddedness?  Are there best environments for deliberation and embeddedness (small town, more social capital…)  Other Embedding deliberation (continued)

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberation to Action Difficult to isolate impact of public deliberation, can provide public input, build momentum Action in four arenas:  collective action  public policy  organizations and institutions  personal transformation Hypothesis: Embedded deliberation is more likely to lead to action

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Without embeddedness… Deliberation to Action (continued) Deliberative Entrepreneur Deliberative Forum Action Our Findings:  Collective action (no evidence)  Impact on public policy (presentation of forum outcomes, limited impact)  Impact on organizations and institutions (no evidence)  Personal transformation (some evidence from IIF, not within our scope)

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberation to Action (continued) Deliberative Entrepreneur Deliberative Forum Local orgs. & inst. act collectively Embed Deliberation in local orgs. & inst. With embeddedness… Our Findings:  Collective action (Clarksburg, WV, various in CT)  Impact on public policy (Keiki Caucus, HI, various in CT)  Impact on organizations and institutions (WV forums on domestic violence and underage drinking, impact on schools in CT)

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Because organizers “own” and “invest” in deliberation, embeddedness can lead to sustained action For example… Bridgeport, CT Keiki Caucus, HI Clarksburg, WV Deliberation to Action (continued)

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Deliberation to Action (continued) Discussion Points:  Are there other “action” spheres, paths?  Beyond embeddedness, other strategies to stimulate action?  How to measure the impact of public deliberation?  Other…

NCDD Conference, San Francisco August Conclusions  Next steps with research  Other areas that we should investigate  How research can support your work  Other  Evaluation of workshop