Deliberative Democracy in Multicultural Societies: The Challenges of Effectiveness, Legitimacy, and Equality

Abstract

Multicultural societies are marked by the coexistence of ethnic, sexual, religious, racial, and cultural minorities and mainstream groups. This coexistence can either be tense or collaborative. How to bridge the gap between the political demands of majority and minority groups? What are the obstacles to meaningful participation? What are the main challenges faced by such societies? And finally, how do we encourage large-scale debates around issues of minorities? In order to provide answers to these questions, this review examines Intercultural Deliberation and the Politics of Minority Rights by R. E. Lowe-Walker (2018), Deliberative Democracy Now: LGBT Equality and the Emergence of Large-Scale Deliberative Systems by Edwina Barvosa (2018), and Deliberative Democracy, Political Legitimacy, and Self-determination in Multicultural Societies by Jorge M. Valadez (2018).

A Citizens’ Wānanga on Alcohol Policy in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Essay on Theoretical Underpinnings and Practical Considerations

“…A citizens' assembly would "promote intercultural understanding that aims to erode linguistic, religious, and cultural barriers in the production of consequent and mutually beneficial political dialogues" (Soares et al, 2021) and thereby provide a solution to this problem -one which is superior to other forms of policy-formation because, unlike them, it fundamentally privileges the considered perspectives of all New Zealanders. Having identified the Māori and minority voices as especially relevant to alcohol policy, a citizens' assembly would accord them the appropriate influence.…”