Building citizen capacities for participation in nanotechnology decision-making: the democratic virtues of the consensus conference model Export

@article{citeulike:6058615, abstract = {Research suggests that deliberative experiences may improve citizens perceptions of their abilities to participate meaningfully in political and societal issues. Previous studies, however, have not looked in depth at citizens perceptions after participating in consensus conferences. In this case study, drawing on in-depth interviews with participants of a consensus conference on nanotechnology, we consider the following questions: 1) How do citizen participants feel the consensus conference experience affected their knowledge and efficacy related to participation in nanotechnology issues? 2) Which aspects of the conference (if any) do citizens think shaped their knowledge and efficacy? 3) Are citizens motivated to engage in future participatory mechanisms related to nanotechnology issues, and why or why not? Although our case study is exploratory, it suggests that even if consensus conferences have little or no influence on policy or policymakers, they may empower citizens by improving their perceived abilities to participate meaningfully in technoscientific issues. 10.1177/0963662506068000}, author = {Powell, Maria and Kleinman, Daniel L.}, citeulike-article-id = {6058615}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963662506068000}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://pus.sagepub.com/content/0963662506068000v1/.abstract}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://pus.sagepub.com/content/0963662506068000v1/.full.pdf}, day = {22}, doi = {10.1177/0963662506068000}, journal = {Public Understanding of Science}, keywords = {capacity, citizen, consensus\_conferences, decision, deliberative\_democracy, democracy, nanotech, participation}, month = {May}, pages = {0963662506068000+}, posted-at = {2009-11-03 09:20:52}, priority = {2}, title = {Building citizen capacities for participation in nanotechnology decision-making: the democratic virtues of the consensus conference model}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963662506068000}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:6058615 L3 - citeulike-article-id:6058615 N2 - Research suggests that deliberative experiences may improve citizens perceptions of their abilities to participate meaningfully in political and societal issues. Previous studies, however, have not looked in depth at citizens perceptions after participating in consensus conferences. In this case study, drawing on in-depth interviews with participants of a consensus conference on nanotechnology, we consider the following questions: 1) How do citizen participants feel the consensus conference experience affected their knowledge and efficacy related to participation in nanotechnology issues? 2) Which aspects of the conference (if any) do citizens think shaped their knowledge and efficacy? 3) Are citizens motivated to engage in future participatory mechanisms related to nanotechnology issues, and why or why not? Although our case study is exploratory, it suggests that even if consensus conferences have little or no influence on policy or policymakers, they may empower citizens by improving their perceived abilities to participate meaningfully in technoscientific issues. 10.1177/0963662506068000 JF - Public Understanding of Science TI - Building citizen capacities for participation in nanotechnology decision-making: the democratic virtues of the consensus conference model SP - 0963662506068000 KW - capacity KW - citizen KW - consensus_conferences KW - decision KW - deliberative_democracy KW - democracy KW - nanotech KW - participation AU - Powell, Maria AU - Kleinman, Daniel PY - 2008/05/22/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963662506068000 ER -