Sarah Durieux’s Post

A truly excellent, even-handed piece making the case that the time for citizens' assemblies in the US has arrived, and how to approach the path forward wisely. Thank you at Daniel Stid. While “the idea of representative government finds itself on the ropes, ... Citizens’ assemblies can help us resolve some of the big problems we have with representative democracy. They bring authentic and representative citizen perspectives to bear in policymaking and, at the same time, refine public opinion through informed deliberation and judgment. ...they are not just about increasing citizen participation in government and policy-making, ... [and] are as much if not more about improving the representativeness and quality of deliberation through carefully structured processes. They are a constructive response to the growing bottom-up / anti-elite energy on the political right and left alike. Paradoxically, citizens’ assemblies could also provide elected officials more leeway to pursue courses of action they actually think are right but currently cannot follow. Citizens’ assemblies would elevate disinterested, informed, and representative perspectives relative to the self-interested, knee-jerk, and hyper-partisan stances (often fueled by wealthy donors) that too often prevail today. Well-administered citizens’ assemblies could thus begin to counter the runaway polarization and misinformation that bedevil us." Linn Davis Sarah Yaffe Peter MacLeod Laura Wood Suzette Brooks Masters Michael Gallagher Kristin J. Hansen Lauren Higgins Matt Prewitt Humphrey Obuobi Philip Lindsay Misha Chellam

New article with Lise Herman out and open access! In the article, we investigate how political challengers articulate new political divides in European political party systems and with what implications for representative democracy. Looking at the case of France, we identify the strategies that Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron have used to construct a new divide beyond left and right. Both actors explicitly reject left/right politics; create political agendas that merge elements of the left and the right; finally, they also explicitly identify each other as opposite poles in a new divide. We also consider whether this new divide they are articulating is any more conducive to democratic politics than the 'old' left/right cleavage. Spoiler alert: we consider it is not. In fact, it may exacerbate deficits of representation, mobilization, and liberal safeguarding. https://lnkd.in/dYNKx5HF

Balance the Power: Launching a Wave to Change Politics for Good. Check out this event. Hope to see you there! https://lnkd.in/ggpGYyeG #diversitymatters #representationmatters #womenempowerment

Feminist democratic innovations in policy and politics. Authors: Paloma Caravantes and Emanuela Lombardo. This article examines the potential of feminist democratic innovations in policy and institutional politics. https://lnkd.in/d6cJ6XUW

My new article published in the Journal of Deliberative Democracy:  https://lnkd.in/ehfycTS7 In this article I use 4 case studies to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of public hearings, evaluate how effectively they can be coupled with other democratic institutions, and consider where there are best placed to contribute to a deliberative democratic policy-making process. I also introduce a comparative framework, the Democratic Standard Enactment Index, which offers a systematic way to analyse public hearing’s capacity to enact core democratic norms inclusiveness, popular control, transparency and considered judgement (Smith 2009).

“Negotiating with those on the extreme sides of the political spectrum can significantly impact political parties. These alliances can offer short-term gains but often raise concerns about the long-term effects on democratic values and social cohesion. In European politics, several examples highlight the complexities and risks associated with these negotiations. Parties close to the centre must be especially careful. However, aligning with the far-left may comparatively cause fewer repercussions for centre-left, green and moderate-left parties, given an expectation among their voters for collaboration on shared progressive values. But usually, co-opting the policy agendas of extremist parties and thinking it is a good strategy often has significant long-term implications. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you with this decision.”

Following the close of party conference season a fortnight ago, the DevComms team have been reflecting on the headlines and major policy announcements from each of the parties and the implications this may have for your business moving forward. If you would like to discus this in more detail, or receive our in-depth post-conference analysis, please get in touch with our Head of Public Affairs Pavitar Kaur Mann. In the meantime though, enjoy our compilation from our time in Bournemouth for the Lib Dem conference, including snippets from Sir Ed Davey’s Leader’s Speech. #partyconference #liberaldemocrats #bournemouth #beach #politics #politicalparty

Civility .. important, inside organisations, inside politics. https://lnkd.in/dNyCFyZz

Robert French Former Chief Justice of the High Court - The Voice In an outstanding address to the Press Club last week, Robert French, the Former Chief Justice of the Australian High Court, explored multiple facets concerning Indigenous Australians, the concept of a 'Voice,' and its potential inclusion in the Australian Constitution. Recognition by Status, Not Race One of the most powerful arguments Robert French makes is about the nature of the 'Voice.' It aims not to recognise Indigenous people by their race but by their status as the first peoples of Australia. French powerfully states, "What goes before the Australian people in this referendum is the simple idea of a national advisory body incorporated into the Constitution, as an act of recognition of our first peoples and thus of our own continental history and national identity." Indigenous Success Stories Robert French recounts uplifting personal anecdotes to illustrate the meaningful participation of Indigenous individuals in Australian society. These stories serve as a counterbalance to narratives that focus solely on the problems Indigenous communities face. Leadership Among Indigenous Australians The speech highlights established Aboriginal leaders like Pat Dodson, laying the groundwork for Indigenous representation. French discusses Dodson's efforts to unite different Indigenous groups for effective engagement with the government on issues like land titles. Legal Nuances of the 'Voice' French dissects the legal complexities of incorporating a 'Voice' into the Constitution. He assures that the 'voice' will serve as an advisory body but will not mandate Parliament or the executive to follow its recommendations, thus dispelling fears of constraining governmental actions. Procedural Mechanisms for the 'Voice' He outlines how Parliament could accommodate the 'Voice,' possibly through the establishment of a Joint Standing Committee. He also reassures that Parliament has the authority to define the scope and extent of representations made by the 'Voice' to the Executive. The Problem with Terminology The term "Canberra bureaucracy" to describe the 'Voice' is challenged. French argues that this terminology is not only misleading but also possibly a deliberate attempt to weaponise language against the initiative. Robert French concludes by stating, "A vote in favour of the voice is a new beginning and something in which this generation and generations to come should be able to take justifiable pride." I would recommend any undecided voter or someone contemplating voting NO should listen to this eminent Australian and renowned jurist before casting their vote. #VoteYes #Yes23 #TogetherWeCanMakeHistory #referendum #directorsforthevoice https://lnkd.in/gwySn5_B

Can we do politics without parties? 🤔🤔 💭 We recently went up to Sheffield to discuss with Fiona Barrows, Independent Town Councillor and Isabella Roberts ACA, MSc, Founder of ANTIPARTY, if we can imagine a different way of doing democracy… Whether you want to improve the current party political system or reimagine a new one: we need connection and community! 🧩 👯 Let's all take 32 Steps to Togetherness! ⬇ https://lnkd.in/eU8qACKV