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 policy 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 a model of—and some direct experience with—a more meaningful and hopefully more civil discussion process that can enrich our public conversations and 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 (or “guest”) facilitators. Currently we have nine guest facilitators working on Public Discussions in south-central Wisconsin (see Wisconsin Public Discussions for more information), and another group of guest facilitators working in West Virginia.
Through the fall of 2011, we have held over 175 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 September 2011): 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 policy 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—
Public Discussions are conducted by IF Fellows, our Summer Institute faculty, and by selected contract (or “guest”) facilitators. Currently we have nine guest facilitators working on Public Discussions in south-central Wisconsin (see Wisconsin Public Discussions for more information), and another group of guest facilitators working in West Virginia.
Through the fall of 2011, we have held over 175 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 September 2011): map of completed IF Public Discussions.