Deliberation in Sociology

Abstract

Sociology has long been interested in the study of deliberation; it is a “big idea” that might guide the organization of modern social life. While in some strands of sociology it still is, this chapter argues that sociological work on deliberation has by and large moved away from big ideas toward a narrow project that is somewhat disconnected from the world outside the ivory tower. The chapter presents the best sociology has to offer scholars of deliberation, with a focus on ideas and practice. Specifically, the chapter advocates an approach to deliberation that engages with the relational turn of sociology, focusing less on decision-making outcomes and more on social relations and dynamics.