This document discusses the importance of deliberation and civic intelligence for addressing societal problems. It defines deliberation as occurring at both an individual level ("in-the-small") and societal level ("in-the-large"), and argues that both are needed for deliberation to make a real difference. The document also asserts that developing civic intelligence through deliberation could help address growing "civic intelligence emergencies" caused by problems that elites cannot solve alone. It concludes by recommending making deliberation and civic intelligence high priorities, working across boundaries in semi-coordinated ways, and combining theory, experimentation, and action.

1. Deliberation that Matters
Realizing the Potential for Civic Intelligence
Douglas Schuler
douglas@publicsphereproject.org
CeDEM11
Conference for E-Democracy and Open Government
Krems, Austria
May 5, 2011

2. Confessions
• I embrace interdisciplinary approaches (although
being everywhere generally can mean being
nowhere specifically).
• I support work that is intended to yield social
benefit -- especially based on the citizen as actor.
• I want to see the work here make a difference. (Or
else why do it?)
• I don’t want to squander our intellectual, ethical,
and material resources.

3. Why Deliberation?
• We are in desperate need of good decisions and actions.
Unfortunately they don’t necessarily result through
hidden-hands, side-effects, or luck.
• Non-deliberative approaches can be exploitive, coercive,
destructive.
• Deliberation can build civic capacity (hypothesis)
The real question is: Why not deliberation??

4. Looking at deliberation from two
perspectives: in-the-small & in-the-large
Although the two perspectives...
• raise different questions and
• suggest different courses of action,
they
• must work together if deliberation is to actually
make a difference

5. Deliberation in-the-small
• is the process of deliberation itself
• assumes a million forms and takes place in a
million places
• is a type of collaboration
• is purposeful
• is one of humankind’s most important
innovations!
• can even be done by enemies!

6. Deliberation in-the-large
• is the context of deliberation. It’s what
happens before and after deliberation
• looks at how deliberation plays out in
society
• depends on legitimacy, societal “access
points”, and other social factors
Without deliberation-in-the-large, deliberation-in-the-small
is impotent...

7. All of these
factors must be present
for successful
deliberation.

8. Civic Intelligence
• Is a type of collective intelligence that addresses shared
concerns effectively and equitably
• Is civic ends through civic means
• Is an under-acknowledged and under-appreciated
resource
• It always exists yet varies over time and from place to
place
Assertion:
It’s what many of us are -- or should be -- working on!

9. Civic Intelligence Emergencies
(The demand may exceed the supply)
• Even a short list of our problems can be depressing.
• The elites won’t solve these problems by themselves.
• Yes we can! We are very capable of creating messes that
we can’t clean up!
• As demands rise worldwide and our resources (water,
oil, etc.) are becoming scarce and despoiled we may be
creating a “perfect storm” for ourselves.
• If we don’t change directions we’ll get where we’re heading!
• but emergencies = opportunities

10. Towards Deliberation in-the-large
How could it realistically make a difference?
• Our efforts will need to be bigger than they are.
• Could deliberation spawn more deliberation? Could it go
viral?
• We need to build the base of useful (i.e. accessible)
knowledge
• Open up social science; Relax some constraints
• Social entrepreneurism
• e-Liberate, for example
• Deliberation on !5 a Day!?

11. Challenges
• Professional and well-resourced cultivators of civic
ignorance (far beyond the “Loyal Opposition”)
• Institutionalization of non-deliberative approaches
• Inertia & temporal differentiation
• Need for funding
• Lack of interest in actual deliberation. Deliberation
isn‘t cool!

12. Conclusions &
Recommendations
• Make deliberation (and civic intelligence) high
priority (and explicit)
• Break out of the routines; tweak the process!
write manifestos!
• Work together in semi-autonomous and semi-
coordinated ways
• Work with lots of groups -- especially across
boundaries
• Theorize, experiment, and act