Introduction: Deliberative Qualities of Communication

Abstract

The articles in this special issue contribute to the scholarly engagement with the deliberative qualities of communication, its antecedents and consequences in relation to these developments. They are guided by a common core understanding of what constitutes deliberative communication while carefully considering the particular contexts they investigate, and the specific goals deliberative communication has therein and display methodological pluralism. This introduction provides a condensed overview of the main insights provided by contributions to this special issue and highlights the various questions and perspectives that form the umbrella for the contributions. Overall these contributions look to a readership both interested in specific instances of deliberative communication and reflecting on theoretical and empirical advances from an integrative perspective.

Keywords

• citizens
• deliberation
• mediation
• communication
• minipublics
• methodologies