Shop top categories that ship internationally
See All Buying Options
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

James S. Fishkin
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

When the People Speak: Deliberative Democracy and Public Consultation HAR/DVD Edition

by James S. Fishkin (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 13 ratings
See all formats and editions
All over the world, democratic reforms have brought power to the people, but under conditions where the people have little opportunity to think about the power that they exercise. In this book, James Fishkin combines a new theory of democracy with actual practice and shows how an idea that harks back to ancient Athens can be used to revive our modern democracies. When the People Speak outlines deliberative democracy projects conducted by the author with various collaborators in the US, China, Britain, Denmark, Australia, Italy, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland, and in the entire European Union. These projects have resulted in the massive expansion of wind power in Texas, the building of sewage treatment plants in China, and greater mutual understanding between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.
Previous slide of product details
  1. ISBN-10
    0199572100
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0199572106
  3. Edition
    HAR/DVD
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    October 11, 2009
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.3 x 1 x 6.4 inches
  8. Print length
    256 pages
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details

Editorial Reviews

Review

"James Fishkin is an impressive individual...Fishkin has done what (to my knowledge) no other democratic theorist has attempted, namely, to design his own democratic institution--the deliberative poll (DP)...The [accompanying DVD] offers an indispensable insight into how a DP works and will play a useful pedagogical function: It will enliven discussions on democratic innovations in the seminar room and also enlighten those many critics of Fishkin who clearly do not understand or appreciate the designs dynamics." --Perspectives on Politics

"After many years of perfecting the art of deliberative polling from his place as director of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University, Fishkin offers fresh evidence of the promise the model holds for democracy... Wonderful research; strongly recommended." --CHOICE

"It is a wonderful, rare mix of deep political theory and careful attention to the practical challenges to making democracy work." --Sidney Milkis, University of Virginia Professor of Politics

"Intriguing...a portrait of public opinion that is more thoughtful than top-of-the-head responses to pollster questions." --Walter Shapiro, PoliticsDaily.com

"James Fishkin has spearheaded an ambitious project to marry the modern science of opinion polling with the ideal of democratic discussion...When the People Speak is the latest formal enunciation of this new methodology. It's not Fishkin's first book on the topic but it is the most theoretically ambitious and comprehensive to date." --Lynn M. Sanders, Associate Professor of Politics, University of Virginia

"When the People Speak is both a heartfelt plea for a far more deliberative conception of political democracy and a rigorous analysis of what now constitute almost two decades of data amassed in the course of conducting what Fishkin terms "deliberative polls" all over the world. Fishkin is almost literally unique in combining the talents of a world-class political theorist with those of an equally first-rate social scientist...asking genuinely radical questions about our political order and, at the same time, suggesting what would be equally radical changes." --Sanford Levinson, Chair in Law and Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin, and author of Our Undemocratic Constitution

"Since James Fishkin designed deliberative opinion polls almost two decades ago, they have been conducted around the world...This particular type of deliberative polling, reconceptualized most recently in When the People Speak, is likely the most effective institutional mechanism known to date for bringing to life the ideal of deliberative democracy." --Albena Azmanova, Director of Program in International Political Economy and Political Strategy and Communication, Brussels School of International Studies, University of Kent

"The Deliberative Polls of James Fishkin represent today the gold standard of attempts to sample what a considered public opinion might be on issues of political importance."--Jane Mansbridge, Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

"James Fishkin is the unquestioned king of deliberative polls (DPs), a device whose reach is now very impressive indeed... Fishkin writes accessibly and with elegance... Arguments are persuasively crafted... Inspiring." --Sociology

Book Description

Combines a new theory of democracy with actual practice and shows how an idea that harks back to ancient Athens can be used to revive our modern democracies

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; HAR/DVD edition (October 11, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199572100
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199572106
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.3 x 1 x 6.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 13 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
James S. Fishkin

James S. Fishkin

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

James Fishkin holds the Janet M. Peck Chair in International Communication at Stanford University where he teaches Communication and Political Science and Directs the Center for Deliberative Democracy. He is author of a number of books including Democracy and Deliberation (1991), The Dialogue of Justice (1992 ), The Voice of the People: Public Opinion and Democracy (1995), Deliberation Day (with Bruce Ackerman, 2004). His Deliberative Polling process has been conducted in countries ranging from China and Bulgaria to Denmark, Britain, Australia, Italy, Hungary, and the US. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford and the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. He has also been Visiting Fellow Commoner at Trinity College, Cambridge. He holds both a PhD in Political Science from Yale and a PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
13 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and informative. They describe it as a good read and a great resource.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
InsightReadability
4 customers mention "Insight"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights. They find valuable information through citations and appreciate the deliberative approach and impartial information.

"...offers an opportunity for people getting complete and impartial information and making consistent decisions...." Read more

"Great research help for work I am doing in the field. Also, I followed up on citations and found more valuable insight...." Read more

"A good read, interesting and insightful. Not sure if I would read it again. Hence, the 4 out of 5!" Read more

"Deliberative Democracy..." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and interesting. They say it's an insightful resource.

"...Excellent read, & used relevant and somewhat recent examples. Chapters are a little long but other than no complaints...." Read more

"A good read, interesting and insightful. Not sure if I would read it again. Hence, the 4 out of 5!" Read more

"Terrific read and great citations..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Cezar Busatto
    5.0 out of 5 stars Real Democracy in Practice
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I would like to suggest brasilians to read James Fishkin's When the People Speak, Deliberative Democracy and Public Consultation, because I do believe this revolutionary practice of democracy is the right path to achieve sustainable public policies, responsible citizenship and a better world for all.
    Deliberative democracy offers an opportunity for people getting complete and impartial information and making consistent decisions. I`ve had the opportunity to see a Deliberative Poll process taking place this year in the city of Porto Alegre, the capital of my Home State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
    A representative sample of about three hundred of fellow citizens in a room were amazingly engaged to get better informed and deliberate about several complex questions related to civil servants careers.
    The results were effective in a double way: they helped to define state government's public policy and contributed to shape public opinion on the matter.
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Sam
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great resource
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Currently conducting research for a lit review; this book was cited in many pieces of lit I've completed. Excellent read, & used relevant and somewhat recent examples. Chapters are a little long but other than no complaints. If you are seeking lit that explains the fundamentals of civic engagement & public participation this is a great resource for your collection.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • John Wilson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read and great citations
    Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Great research help for work I am doing in the field. Also, I followed up on citations and found more valuable insight. I was introduced to Professor Fishkin of Stanford Center of Deliberative Democracy and found volumes of additional information.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • mary Snider
    4.0 out of 5 stars Deliberative Democracy
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    James S. Fishkin, as a political theorist and reformer, explores the democratic ideals of Political Equality and Deliberation in making what he calls considered decisions. The book, When the People Speak, reads like an expanded outline. His arguments present many sides of the issues and how they can be addressed. A glossary of terms and phrases would have been helpful.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Peder004
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A good read, interesting and insightful. Not sure if I would read it again. Hence, the 4 out of 5!
    Helpful
     Report