Originally the deep democracy method is designed to make better decisions. A deep democratic decision is not only motivated by the majority vote. It is shaped with the ‘wisdom of the minority votes’, so that the perspectives of the 1 – 49% percent of people that voted different are used to enhance our decision making process. The result is a qualitatively better decision that is supported by every group member.
To be able to make these kinds of decisions it is necessary to actively look for differences and get all perspectives on the table. By doing so we can than have ‘the right conversation’. Using principles from the deep democracy method we can therefore enhance decision making processes as well as having better discussions. Better discussions and better decisions can also have a huge impact on our education and result in more inclusive education.
In this workshop you will be introduced to the theoretical principles that underlie the deep democracy method, experience deep democratic practices and identify tips and tricks to use in your classroom.
Intended learning outcome
- Formulating core principles of the Lewis method of Deep Democracy
- Experience how differences can enrich conversations and decisions
- Examining your own assumptions on perspective taking