Striving for Sustainable Global Democracy Through a Group Decision-Making Process: A Critical Review of an Online Course to Model Transformative Praxis
Journal Title: Journal of Globalization Studies - Year 2012, Vol 3, Issue 1
Abstract
‘Sustainability is not simply about changing practices but more centrally about agreeing to change practices together’ (Flanagan et al. 2011). To achieve such ends, groups need to improve processes for making complex de-cisions together. The challenge faced recently in Copenhagen (including a large number of diverse participants in policy discussions) indicates the need for new ways to improve discursive democracy. Poverty and climate change are ‘wicked’ problems (Rittel and Webber 1984) that comprise many diverse interrelated variables and that have a strong value and emotional dimension. The shortcomings of many approaches to these problems is that they are expert driven, do not involve the public in decision making, and have a narrow focus on technical issues. They do not consider issues in terms of their interrelated complexity with human cultural issues and values. This paper addresses the transboundary conundrum of how to address complex social and environmental challenges while engaging with people's diverse values and emotions.
Authors and Affiliations
Kenneth Bausch, Tom Flanagan, Janet McIntyre-Mills, Tony Made, Kelly Mackenzie, Charles Morse, Gayle Underwood
Keywords
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