This article addresses why it is so difficult for our country to navigate the issue of gun violence and contains suggestions for starting a national conversation. It was written by Sarah Read and Dave Overfelt, both of The Communications Center, Inc. in Columbia, MO with funding from the University of AZ’s National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD).  After the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, NICD called for essays to address the challenges of conducting constructive conversations about gun violence in the U.S. As part of their ... (continue)

On February 1, 2013, National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) released an Issue Advisory that contains materials that communities might wish to use in deliberating over the issues raised by the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012. This “issue advisory” is not a full NIF issue guide, but a basic outline of the options, entitled How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities? It can be downloaded here. The 4-page issue advisory was written by NCDD member Brad Rourke, a Kettering Foundation program officer. (continue)

The practice of using representative samples in decision making in contemporary political regimes creates an opening for re-establishing sortition (making decisions or filling offices by drawing lots). The diversity that sortition adds to political procedures helps reinforce democratic legitimacy. In author Yves Sintomer’s view, we could even introduce sortition into elections. Here’s an excerpt from this interesting paper by Yves Sintomer… Having vanished for centuries, sortition now seems to be returning to the world of practical politics. [1] Recent experience in Iceland illustrates this. After ... (continue)

A National Issues Forums issue guide, A Nation in Debt: How Can We Pay the Bills? (2011) outlines the effect of the growing national debt on our society and several choices or approaches to addressing the issue. National Issues Forums do not advocate a specific solution or point of view, but provide citizens the opportunity to consider a broad range of choices, weigh the pros and cons of those options, and meet with each other in a public dialogue to identify the concerns they hold in common. ... (continue)

This is a report about National Issues Forums where citizens deliberated about the issue of what to do about racial and ethnic tensions. The forums involved nearly 2,000 people in 40 states around the country using the NIF issue book, Racial and Ethnic Tensions, prepared in collaboration with the Kettering Foundation. Analysis of what happened in those forums was conducted by Doble Research Associates, a public interest consulting firm, and is presented in this report. Find more details & order info on the NIF website. From ... (continue)

This is a report about 2003 National Issues Forums where citizens deliberated about the issue of what to do about terrorism. The forums involved nearly 2,000 people in 40 states around the country. Analysis of what happened in those forums was conducted by Doble Research Associates, a public interest consulting firm, and is presented in this report. Find more details & order info on the NIF website. From the report… (continue)

This 2004 Kettering Foundation report about public forums held using the National Issues Forums (NIF) issue discussion guide Examining Health Care: What’s the Public’s Prescription? was prepared by Paul Werth Associates.  The findings in the report are derived from some 40 deliberative forums held in various locations around the country.  The report also includes an analysis of 1,027 post-forum surveys that were completed by forum participants. Find more details & order info on the NIF website. From the report… (continue)

This report, an analysis of results from the 2003-2004 National Issues Forums, presents an examination of people’s thinking as they deliberated together in public forums about Americans’ Role in the World. The analysis is based on forums held in 37 states, on moderator interviews representing forums in 22 locations, observations of six forums, videotape of four forums, and on the results of two online forums. The report is also based on the analysis of 1,486 post-forum questionnaires that were returned between April 2003 and April 2004. ... (continue)

This report, an analysis of results from the 2003-2005 National Issues Forums, presents an examination of people’s thinking as they deliberated together in public forums using the issue discussion guide The New Challenges of American Immigration. The analysis is based on forums held in 41 states, on moderator interviews representing forums in 23 locations, analysis of an online forum, and five videotaped forums. The report is also based on the analysis of 1,073 post-forum questionnaires along with a total of 403 telephone interviews with a national probability ... (continue)

This 52-page report presents an analysis based on National Issues Forums (NIF) that were held during 2005 and 2006 using the issue discussion guide titled Democracy’s Challenge: Reclaiming the Public’s Role. The analysis was drawn from a sample of forums that were held in 45 states and D.C. The report methodology also included moderator interviews, observations of forums, tabulation of post-forum questionnaires, and the convening of six research forums/focus groups.  Find more details & order info on the NIF website.  The following is an excerpt from the ... (continue)