This volume addresses an emerging stream of research on the
combined benefits of participatory decision-making and deliberation.
We refer to it as “deliberative public administration” (DPA). 1
This literature is both advocatory and empirical. Its main goal is to promote
a rejuvenation of democratic institutions and progressive politics by
favouring direct civil society involvement in public policy-making. It centres
on two claims: first, that a broadly participatory approach to policymaking
– involving a wide range of social actors in addition to public
actors – generates not just a richer texture of democracy but also more
effective policies; second, that the various actors participating in the policy
fora coordinate (or end up coordinating) by exchanging arguments based
on principles or appeals to generalizable interests. To the extent that all
potentially affected groups have equal opportunities to become involved
in 0the process and propose topics, formulate solutions, or critically discuss
taken-for-granted approaches, these institutional innovations qualify
as examples of deliberative democracy in action. DPA attributes both
efficiency and equity gains to itself. Involvement of citizens and groups
with detailed knowledge of problems and potential solutions generates –
so the argument goes – more efficient solutions than more traditionally
top-down, bureaucratic approaches. At the same time, participation of all
affected groups ensures that no interest or value orientation worthy of
protection is unduly disregarded in policy design and implementation.