Page 62 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

opportunity for all. Public policies influenced by deliberative input by the public could expand into

putting hard pressure on leaders to correct market failures and promote equity and social justice.

Community Conversations potentially can function as an instrument of social and

economic guidance for local equity where social dialogue can contribute to the development of a

local effectiveness agenda process (leap). It provides more ownership to people, in particular

workers as it helps increase accountability, strengthen domestic policies, contributes to the design

and implementation of better redistribution policies. Social dialogue also facilitates social peace

and is a forceful instrument for reconciliation and reconstruction. (Chibebe, 2015) I know this first

hand co-facilitating room dialogues with Los Angeles’ Gang Intervention Social Workers (2009).

Not all democracy is deliberative. The act of gathering in a public way to exchange,

identify, and vet issues requires a certain commitment. It is the right and responsibility of an

engaged citizenry. As Jacobs et al. (2009) have observed, discourse and deliberation form a

tangible and, indeed, necessary feature of a vigorous democratic citizenry. Research has moved

steadily toward an embrace of the deliberative framework, assessing citizens’ potential for

acquiring high quality information across lines of disagreement–information that can enable

political action and choice.

Disagreement with others creates significant opportunities for increased learning and

tolerance, but simultaneously suppresses political participation. Democracy ideally is a political

process that allows citizens equal opportunity to participate in the affairs of government through

elections and interface with elected representatives and local administrators. Local, state and

national representation allows members of the public direct access to governing bodies, issues, and

collective decision-making. The act of voting grants eligible members of the public an opportunity

for direct participation in the election of leaders charged to serve designated constituencies.

43