On Citizens’ Assemblies
Citizens’ Assemblies and Beyond
in Amor Mundi (2023)
As the Middle East war rages and democracies reel from populist and illiberal movements, I spent Friday and Saturday at the Hannah Arendt Center's Democracy Innovation Workshop: Citizens' Assemblies and Beyond. Organized by the Arendt Center's Democracy Innovation Hub, the workshop gathered scholars, organizers, and government officials in New York City to learn about, explore and plan how to use deliberative democratic innovations to rethink and reinspire the tradition of American self-government. At a moment when hope is a rare word in politics, the growing interest in citizen assemblies offers real possibilities for a revival of empowered citizenship and meaningful self-government.
Revitalizing Democracy: Citizen Assemblies, Citizen Power and Spaces of Freedom
in What kind of government? Rethinking Contemporary Forms of Government after the Break in Tradition (2023)
This essay explores the current crisis facing democracy, arguing that its origins lie in the widespread disempowerment of citizens in the political realm. Rather than seeing the rise of illiberal regimes as the rejection of liberal politics, the essay argues that the true crisis reflects the pervasive feeling of detachment from political influence, resulting in a diminishing faith in one's ability to engage with government and participate effectively in the political process. What is needed is not a rejection of liberal principles, but a re- enlivening of the basic liberal demand for freedom and self-government. To address the democratic crisis and re-imagine liberal responses, the essay explores the potential of citizens' assemblies as a solution. These assemblies consist of randomly selected citizens tasked with deliberating on intricate political matters and formulating shared solutions. Citizens' assemblies offer a promising avenue for overcoming biases, fostering trust, and facilitating consensus building in politics. The essay underscores that citizens' assemblies not only align with democratic values but also resonate with republican principles, as they empower citizens to engage in deliberation and political compromise, ultimately rekindling the spirit of self-governance in the pursuit of the common good.
Revitalizing Democracy Sortition, Republicanism, and Citizen Power
in Amor Mundi (2022)
The Hannah Arendt Center just published its 10th Annual HA Journal, featuring the edited transcripts of talks given at our 2021 Conference: Revitalizing Democracy: Sortition, Citizen Power, and Spaces of Freedom. Starting today, each week we will feature a different essay from the Journal. This first essay in the publication is our Founder and Academic Director Roger Berkowitz’ opening lecture at Bard College’s Olin Hall.