There is something about deliberative forums that are as old-fashioned and comforting as talking to a neighbor over a backyard fence.  They are blessedly free of Internet trolls and Twitter attacks. No access to Facebook is necessary. Hope may be the biggest intangible asset of these gatherings: The idea, based in the experience and the optimism that forums generate, that most of the problems of the world could be solved if we could just talk and weigh tradeoffs together. 

In an article titled How Civic Engagement Spread across Six College Campuses author Maura Casey describes how Dr. John J. Theis, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement for the Lone Star College System and professor of Political Science on the Kingwood Campus, introduced deliberative forums work to college campuses.

The following are excerpts from the article:

What can citizens learn from history about democracy? The Kettering Foundation has sought to answer this question through collaborative research with several history museums across the country, including Presidential Libraries, which educate the public about historical events during the relevant president’s administration. By partnering to create deliberative issue guides about historical decisions, these museums and libraries have found new ways to engage with visitors and educational networks, and participants in historical forums gain experience with public deliberation.

Around the country, people are grappling with how best to protect their communities and prevent future mass shootings. While it is necessary to develop a shared sense of how to proceed, some fear engaging in public deliberation about such hotly contested issues, especially at a time of such divisive political discourse. Will deliberating together under these circumstances only lead to greater conflict?