Centre for Deliberation

At the Centre for Deliberation we are imaginative about the forms, uses and impact that deliberation can have on big societal questions now and in the future, those on which we need to involve the public in decision making and those relating to the future of our democracies.

Deliberation is an established and tested research method that enables the public to make informed decisions about complex or contested topics and decide outcomes and agendas. This can be particularly useful on challenging problems and we focus on delivering a range of research on public attitudes and policy making; bringing diverse perspectives into conversation with evidence to support the articulation of the public’s voice. 

The Centre for Deliberation generates evidence that policy makers and citizens can use to inform, engage with and transform complex social issues. We do this by helping people and institutions have conversations with the right information, time and conditions to enable the public to play a more significant role in solving the biggest problems facing our society. 

Our team are experts in a range of participatory and deliberative methodologies that can help stakeholders understand where engaging citizens fits in their plans; from informing agendas and identifying the issues that matter, to deciding on policy options and testing the strength of preferences for different ways forward. The Centre works in the context of democratic innovation and draws on the principles of deliberative democracy to shape what we do and the impact it can have.

Additionally, the Centre for Deliberation co-hosts a regular seminar series to explore the expanding world of deliberative research. This series features guest speakers providing unique insights into the understanding of deliberation. The series discusses the theory and practice of deliberative research, its relationship to deliberative democracy and the impact it can have on citizens and policy. These seminars are designed to be informal, to provide an open space for networking and discussion, to listen and engage with likeminded professionals. 

If you would like to know more about deliberative methods and the services we provide, please contact the team at cdr@natcen.ac.uk.