Program Types & Tips Community Forums & Discussions Democracy As a Discussion Democracy is a discussion. As citizens talk with each other, they foster a deeper understanding of what it takes to make democracy work and the essential role of the citizen in this endeavor. Below are some suggestions on conducting discussions. They are reprinted with permission of the editor from Democracy is a Discussion: A Handbook, edited by Sondra Myers. Planning a Discussion Series Form a planning Committee. The committee should reflect the diversity of interests you hope to attract to your discussion. Enlisting the help of community groups and organizations can help establish a suitable committee. Plan a series of conversations. The subject of democracy is vast, profound, and important to your collective and individual well-being. Choose a leader for the discussion. The planning committee should select an individual with the ability to generate conversation, encourage broad participation, remain neutral, and create a comfortable environmental for open discussion. Divide tasks among members of the planning committee. Share the responsibilities for the logistics, such as arranging the conversation site, reproducing reading materials, and contacting participants. Elect a focus for the discussion. Using such themes as “what are the basic elements in a democratic government, what is the role of the citizen, what are the special challenges and opportunities of a diverse democracy?” pick a sharper focus for your discussion series with the interests of your intended participants in mind. Select materials for the discussion. After determining the focus of your discussion, choose materials from the handbooks, or from local resources such as libraries, newspapers and periodicals that reflect the discussion topic. Distribute materials to participants in a timely fashion so they will have time to prepare for each session. Determine the discussion format. How long will each discussion last? How many people will participate? When and where will the discussion take place? How many sessions will be scheduled over what period of time? Try to accommodate the needs of the participants. Ideally, there should be no more than 25 participants with sessions lasting no longer than two hours. Draw up a set of ground rules for the discussion that the group can amend and ratify at the first session. Provide refreshments for participants, prepare name tags, provide writing materials and determine the set-up for the room that will allow all participants to interact on an equal basis. Locate and invite potential participants. Utilize local media, the mail, phone calls, and community organizations to gather a diverse group. Use a combination of approaches and always make a personal contact with participants before the first session. Create a syllabus for the discussion. Establish a time frame for formal introductions, the setting of ground rules and refining the discussion focus. Distribute the syllabus at the first session so participants are made aware of the course of the discussion. Handbooks Democracy Is a Discussion: Civic Engagement in Old and New Democracies. What are the basic elements in a democratic government? What role does the average citizen play? Explore these questions with Civic Engagement in Old and New Democracies, a handbook that prepares students in your classroom, as well as students of emerging democracies, for their critical role as citizens. Covering topics from the independent press to the free market, each chapter includes discussion questions as well as two readings from a variety of sources representing a range of perspectives. 1996, Paperback, 59 pages. Democracy Is a Discussion II: The Challenges and Promise of a New Democratic Era. The second handbook, The Challenges and Promise of a New Democratic Era, highlights the obstacles faced by democracies as well as strategies for addressing them. This optimistic look at democracy offers students insight into this exciting time of global change as we approach the 21st century. 1998, Paperback, 67 pages. Available for $11.95 each (both for $20) through the Office of College Relations, Connecticut College, 270 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT o6320 or by e-mail to, collrel@conncoll.edu. Leading a Discussion Be prepared. Study the materials the planning committee has selected for the session and assemble questions that will stimulate discussion. Be ready to raise important points if they do not come up during the course of the discussion. Lead introductions. Help participants get to know one another by initiating formal introductions. Have the group include some information about why each individual is participating and provide name tags to all participants. Facilitate each session. The discussion leader must remain neutral, respect the comments of all participants, encourage everyone to speak and refrain from engaging in the content discussions with the participants. Handle any procedural or behavioral issues that may arise during the session. Utilizing the ground rules the discussion group has established, maintain a sense of civility and respect within the conversation. Create opportunities for all participants to speak. Recognizing that individual styles vary widely in group discussion settings, ensure that all voices are heard during the sessions and no individual feels shut out of the group. Keep the discussion moving. If there is a lull in the conversation, use the questions you have prepared to help stimulate debate. Also, interject these questions should the conversation lose focus or digress. Close each session. Have group members summarize the session. Allow individuals time to reflect on what was covered in the session. Bring closure to the discussion series. Conclude the series by using the evaluation materials or another reporting mechanism that gives participants the opportunity to critique the process and share their ideas with the group. Follow-Up Generate ideas about methods to continue the discussion. Have the participants converse about ways to draw additional community members into the conversation. Implement follow-up activities in the community. Plan activities and events that will bring the fruits of the discussion to a wider audience. >>Community Forums & Discussions Main Page >>Traditional Forums >>Virtual Forums >>Forum Formats >>Contacts & Resources >>Comparative Law Forums >>Community Conversations on Pluralism >>Democracy As a Discussion >>Humanities: Setting Up a Reading Program Reaching the Community Home | Program Types & Tips Home