Participatory Democracy
Participatory Democracy
From the Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_democracy
Definition
"Participatory democracy is a deliberative dialog and decision making process which hears all voices and diverse perspectives to enact meaningful change.
Ideally, it would be an equitable process embarked upon by a group empowered with decision-making authority, surfacing a deeper understanding of issues, and is consolidated around a common purpose, forging a collective decision out of individual interests.
Participatory democracy is inclusive, requires practice and reflection, accepts and absorbs conflict, actively addresses dissent, and pays attention to those who speak softly or who are on the margins." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_democracy)
Key Books to Read
Participatory Democracy: Prospects for Democratizing Democracy. Edited by Dimitrios Roussopoulos and C. George Benello. New Edition. Montréal, New York: Black Rose Books, 2005.
“This wide-ranging collection probes the historical roots of participatory democracy in our political culture, analyzes its application to the problems of modern society, and explores the possible forms it might take on every level of society from the work place, to the community, to the nation at large. Part II, ‘The Politics of Participatory Democracy,’ covers Porto Alegre, Montreal, the new Urban ecology, and direct democracy." (http://escapingthematrix.org/resources.html)