Introduction: A Topographical Approach to Deliberative Democracy

Abstract

Started as an attempt to move beyond the models of democracy which dominated public and academic discourses during les trente glorieuses (i.e. procedural, aggregative and participatory models of democracy), the deliberative turn seems to have be the opening of several other inner turnings which have help build up a complex theoretical spaghetti junction. Following the main deliberative turn we can also count an 'epistemic turn' (Jörke 2010), and 'empirical turn' (Thompson 2008), a 'systemic turn' (Mansbridge et. al. 2012) and even a 'democratic turn' (Barker et. al. 2012). The end result of these twists and turns is a plurality of models of deliberative democracy (DD) embodying many of the analytical features characterising the earlier models deliberative democrats DD theorists wanted to replace. The revitalisation of democracy promoted by the deliberative turn has thus made the democratic landscape extremely intricate and impervious, making even those acquainted with it likely to lose their way. The present volume wishes to be a rough guide for those who are keen on exploring this uneven terrain. Its goal is twofold: to point out what land marks to follow along the way, and to indicate which dwelling stations to use to make the journey worthwhile.