Making Policy Deliberative: The Case of Citizens' Initiative Review in Oregon
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Date
2010-06
Authors
Keown, Laura Beth, 1987-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Literature on deliberation has made claims that deliberation in policy making will
result in increased legitimacy of collective decisions, more attention to public interests,
respect among disagreeing parties, and fewer policy mistakes through complete
understanding of issues. Past empirical research on deliberative projects has focused on
assessing whether these outcomes of deliberation occur in reality. This research seeks to
answer the question of why deliberative policy is adopted in the first place, or what leads
political elites to endorse deliberation in public policy. The empirical case study explores
the passage of a Citizens' Initiative Review pilot by the Oregon legislature in 2009.
Using personal interviews from primary actors, I have discovered four dominant
explanations for the adoption of this deliberative policy: timing, effective advocacy,
exceptionalism, and low-impact legislative strategy. These conclusions help to predict the
future fortunes of the Citizens' Initiative Review policy in Oregon and elsewhere.
Description
ix, 123 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.