Democratic Deliberation for Sustainability Transformations: Between Constructiveness and Disruption

Hammond

Abstract

The discourse on sustainability transformations moves beyond accommodationist, reformist framings of sustainability to imply a radical, systemic shift toward new sustainable trajectories. While democracy has been accorded a central role in sustainability governance of most kinds, this emphasis on systemic transformation, and the new context of existential ecological threat, prompt a reconsideration of the kind of democracy that would provide a political foundation for sustainability. Arguing that the politics of sustainability transformation inherently demand democratization – for both disruption (of established power structures) and normativity (in relation to the negotiated meaning of sustainability) – this article explores the potential of deliberation in particular to create these foundations. I contend that while the recent policy-oriented practice of deliberation has itself become overly accommodationist, the concept can equally encompass a more disruptive, yet still normatively driven form, the time for which might be just right.

Citation

Hammond. (2020). Democratic Deliberation for Sustainability Transformations: Between Constructiveness and Disruption. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1814588

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 20, 2020
• Publication Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Journal: Sustainability : Science, Practice and Policy
• Print ISSN: 1548-7733
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1814588
• Keywords: Sustainability transformation, sustainability, deliberative democracy, citizens’ assembly, deliberation
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15487733.2020.1814588