Activism, Inclusion, and the Challenges of Deliberative Democracy

Anna Drake

ISBN 10: 0774865164 / ISBN 13: 9780774865166

Published by University of British Columbia Press, CA, 2021

About this Item

Deliberative democracy - whereby people debate competing ideas before agreeing upon political action - must surely rest on its capacity to include all points of view. But how does this inclusive framework engage with activism that occurs outside of, and in opposition to, deliberative systems themselves? Activism, Inclusion, and the Challenges of Deliberative Democracy challenges the inherent contradiction of a framework that includes activism but doesn't require sustained exchange with activists, instead measuring the value of their efforts in terms of broader deliberative democratic outcomes. Through the examples of ACT UP, Black Lives Matter, and other contemporary activism, Anna Drake explores the systemic oppression that prevents activists from participating in deliberative systems as equals. This nuanced study concludes that deliberative democrats must address activism on its own terms, external to and separate from deliberative systems that are shaped by injustices. Only then can activism's distinct democratic contribution be taken seriously.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780774865166

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Activism, Inclusion, and the Challenges of Deliberative Democracy
• Publisher: University of British Columbia Press, CA
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0774865164
• ISBN 13: 9780774865166
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 560 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book exposes the structures that keep activists at the margins of political debates.

Democracy depends on its capacity to engage diverse viewpoints, but activists who amplify silenced voices often find themselves outside the deliberative process altogether. Activism, Inclusion, and the Challenges of Deliberative Democracy questions the effectiveness of political frameworks that shift activism to the margins, measuring its value only in terms of broader electoral outcomes. Following recent movements such as ACT UP and Black Lives Matter, Anna Drake exposes the oppressive structures that prevent activists from participating in policy debates as equals. If we are to see a democratic revival, Drake argues, we must engage activists on their own terms, apart from existing systems shaped by injustice.  
 

About the Author

Anna Drake is assistant professor of political science at the University of Waterloo.