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by John Vincent Balustre
As part of its series of international academic collaborations, Dr. Nicole Curato, from the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra, Australia, along with Joe Alvarez from the Department of Sociology conducted a workshop on deliberative democracy last September 3, Tuesday, at the CASS Learning Commons.
Banking on conversation as a centerpiece of deliberation, the workshop was designed to establish an exchange of ideas straight from the participants themselves, underscoring people’s perspectives at the front of decision-making.
Questions with weight in everyday life explored the willingness for participants to engage in intimate relationships with someone of different political views, cancelling celebrities with problematic stances and their apparent absence of input on social issues, indifference to family members whose conception of truth heavily relies on conspiracy theories, and re-evaluating friendship with someone who doesn’t believe in something as fundamental as human rights.
Curato and Alvarez, upon revisiting assemblies they had attended in line with their cause for deliberative democracy, noted that the pursuit of democratic principles and practices is a process.
“Hindi natatapos ang demokrasya sa eleksyon,” Curato stated.
She also added that while the goal of these discussions is to preserve relationships, knowing when to end it and rebuilding anew is an equally essential skill of a deliberative thought.
Ariel Ebale, a third-year sociology major participant, reflected on the fruitful sharing of stories that hit home from fellow participants.
“It made me think about how deliberative democracy can be applied even in personal situations where emotions are involved, showing how important it is to engage with others respectfully—even when we disagree,” Ebale wrote in a virtual interview.
He added that workshops like these gave opportunities for inclusive solutions to social issues that require understanding and empathy.
“It builds trust and empowers individuals by giving them a voice in shaping their communities,” he stated.
Notably, Dr. Curato is one of the Department of Sociology’s adjunct professors.
This kind of engagement led by the department offered a platform for a dialogue where the crux of the matter is centered on the tenets of which democracy is for—the people.
Banking on conversation as a centerpiece of deliberation, the workshop was designed to establish an exchange of ideas straight from the participants themselves, underscoring people’s perspectives at the front of decision-making.
Questions with weight in everyday life explored the willingness for participants to engage in intimate relationships with someone of different political views, cancelling celebrities with problematic stances and their apparent absence of input on social issues, indifference to family members whose conception of truth heavily relies on conspiracy theories, and re-evaluating friendship with someone who doesn’t believe in something as fundamental as human rights.
Curato and Alvarez, upon revisiting assemblies they had attended in line with their cause for deliberative democracy, noted that the pursuit of democratic principles and practices is a process.
“Hindi natatapos ang demokrasya sa eleksyon,” Curato stated.
She also added that while the goal of these discussions is to preserve relationships, knowing when to end it and rebuilding anew is an equally essential skill of a deliberative thought.
Ariel Ebale, a third-year sociology major participant, reflected on the fruitful sharing of stories that hit home from fellow participants.
“It made me think about how deliberative democracy can be applied even in personal situations where emotions are involved, showing how important it is to engage with others respectfully—even when we disagree,” Ebale wrote in a virtual interview.
He added that workshops like these gave opportunities for inclusive solutions to social issues that require understanding and empathy.
“It builds trust and empowers individuals by giving them a voice in shaping their communities,” he stated.
Notably, Dr. Curato is one of the Department of Sociology’s adjunct professors.
This kind of engagement led by the department offered a platform for a dialogue where the crux of the matter is centered on the tenets of which democracy is for—the people.
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