Once our Project Discussions have produced a Discussion Report, that report then becomes the starting point for our Public Discussions. While these Public Discussions, which we sometimes refer to as “Citizen Discussions,” differ in certain respects from our Project Discussions, both types of discussion are interrelated. They share certain discussion techniques, they may overlap in time, and they are certainly interactive with each other.
Our Public Discussions are similar to our Project Discussions in that they also use an active facilitator to conduct small group (5-8 participants) discussions that explore contrasting possibilities for public policy. As in a Project Discussion, there is a commitment to open and civil participation for all, a focus on broad or “conceptual” possibilities for the future rather than on solving specific, narrow, or near-term issues, and an opportunity for civic engagement and personal growth.
Public Discussions differ from Project Discussions, however, because rather than creating the possibilities from scratch, they begin with the possibilities presented in the Discussion Report. They are also of variable and shorter duration–often 2-4 sessions. Finally, while the primary goal of a Project Discussion is to develop the policy possibilities and produce a Discussion Report describing them, the goals for our Public Discussions are, first, to provide participants with both a model of and some direct experience with a more meaningful and hopefully more civil discussion process that could help enrich our public conversation and thereby strengthen our democracy. And second—and through that discussion process—to help citizens more fully consider and confidently make their own, individual choices about the long-term direction of our public policies.
Public Discussions are conducted by IF Fellows, our Summer Institute faculty, and by selected contract (“guest”) facilitators. Currently we have seven guest facilitators working on Public Discussions in southern Wisconsin (see Wisconsin Public Discussions for more information). We are also in the planning stages to add guest facilitators in West Virginia in the fall of 2010.
Through June of 2010, there have been over 90 Public Discussions of our Discussion Reports at different locations around the country. Click on the following Google map link to see the locations for our completed Public Discussions (through June 2010): map of completed IF Public Discussions.
Public Discussions
Once our Project Discussions have produced a Discussion Report, that report then becomes the starting point for our Public Discussions. While these Public Discussions, which we sometimes refer to as “Citizen Discussions,” differ in certain respects from our Project Discussions, both types of discussion are interrelated. They share certain discussion techniques, they may overlap in time, and they are certainly interactive with each other.
Our Public Discussions are similar to our Project Discussions in that they also use an active facilitator to conduct small group (5-8 participants) discussions that explore contrasting possibilities for public policy. As in a Project Discussion, there is a commitment to open and civil participation for all, a focus on broad or “conceptual” possibilities for the future rather than on solving specific, narrow, or near-term issues, and an opportunity for civic engagement and personal growth.
Public Discussions differ from Project Discussions, however, because rather than creating the possibilities from scratch, they begin with the possibilities presented in the Discussion Report. They are also of variable and shorter duration–often 2-4 sessions. Finally, while the primary goal of a Project Discussion is to develop the policy possibilities and produce a Discussion Report describing them, the goals for our Public Discussions are, first, to provide participants with both a model of and some direct experience with a more meaningful and hopefully more civil discussion process that could help enrich our public conversation and thereby strengthen our democracy. And second—and through that discussion process—to help citizens more fully consider and confidently make their own, individual choices about the long-term direction of our public policies.
Public Discussions are conducted by IF Fellows, our Summer Institute faculty, and by selected contract (“guest”) facilitators. Currently we have seven guest facilitators working on Public Discussions in southern Wisconsin (see Wisconsin Public Discussions for more information). We are also in the planning stages to add guest facilitators in West Virginia in the fall of 2010.
Through June of 2010, there have been over 90 Public Discussions of our Discussion Reports at different locations around the country. Click on the following Google map link to see the locations for our completed Public Discussions (through June 2010): map of completed IF Public Discussions.