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Learn and Practice Deliberation

It's important to discuss tough problems. Practice deliberation through considering perspectives, listening with empathy & respect, & weighing trade-offs of possible actions. Register for Zoom link.

This session is intended for anyone who wants to learn and practice deliberation, including librarians, educators and community members. Everyone is welcome.

What is deliberation and why is it important?

The discovery of a shared direction, guided by what we value most. 
 
Deliberation is an unbiased kind of talking that starts where the problem starts—with your experience of it. It’s not a bunch of abstract backroom negotiations, but real, genuine, human struggles of which we are a part.

Unlike debate, or lecture, or an airing of grievances, deliberation asks us to begin with what we hold most dear and share our personal experiences with a given issue. It’s not about reaching agreement or seeing eye-to-eye. It’s about looking at the costs and consequences of possible solutions to daunting problems, and finding out what we, as a people, will or will not accept as a solution.

Learn more from the National Issues Forum.

We will use this issue guide about alcohol and drug use for our deliberation, while also revealing the elements of a successful deliberation during our conversation.

Over the Edge: What Should We Do When Alcohol & Drug Use Become a Problem to Society?
There are no easy answers to deep-seated public problems like substance abuse. In order to make progress on such issues, we need to tap the experience, wisdom, and hopes of people in communities who are concerned about the issue. Why does this issue matter to people? What roles can different people and organizations play? What actions would make the most difference? What are the potential drawbacks and trade-offs of different approaches?

The purpose of this issue guide is to help people talk together about what we should do when alcohol and drug use becomes a problem to society. It begins with an overview of substance use and abuse in the United States and the impact this has on individuals, families, and communities. It then offers three options for addressing the issue, along with potential actions that could be taken. These are starting points for the conversation, which may lead to other insights and possibilities.

This issue guide presents the following three options for deliberation:

• Keep People Safe
• Address Conditions that Foster Substance Abuse
• Uphold Personal Freedom

Learn more about deliberative conversations at the library. Download the issue guide for this topic. 

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