Dialogue & Deliberation is an approach to community science where facilitated conversations bring community members together to discuss a relevant topic and the options for addressing it. Through this approach, museums and science centers can collaborate with community-serving organizations in order to facilitate authentic dialogue and humble listening to advance local priorities.
A neighborhood might identify the need to address flooding challenges impacting their community. Or a group may want to gather and brainstorm how to improve food access in their city. Together, individuals and organizations can use Dialogue & Deliberation to delve into real issues impacting their communities and deepen mutual understanding between participants to facilitate the development of collaborative solutions.
This toolkit can serve as a roadmap to navigate the numerous dialogue and deliberation resources and tools that have been produced by civic engagement and science-engagement organizations. These resources can provide a helpful foundation in the development of science and technology-related dialogues, as well as program models to build on, and facilitation and implementation resources.
Producing Actionable and Equitable Solutions
When employed well, Dialogue & Deliberation elevates diverse voices, enhances mutual understanding and empathy, and produces actionable, equitable solutions. It can also offer science engagement practitioners the opportunity to partner with a community to tackle pressing and controversial questions.
Institutions like science and technology centers have powerful tools, such as physical venues, networks of expert professionals, and name recognition in their communities, to effectively lead Dialogue & Deliberation efforts on a range of topics related to science and society – the key is knowing where to start.
Cue ASTC’s Community Science Dialogue & Deliberation toolkit! This toolkit serves as a roadmap to help you navigate Dialogue & Deliberation resources produced by a diversity of civic engagement and science engagement organizations. These resources lay a solid foundation for the development of Dialogue & Deliberation efforts on topics relevant to local communities.
Let's Get Started!
Below, you’ll find a deeper dive into what Dialogue & Deliberation is (and isn’t); video explainers and resources for five core professional skills; examples of real science center and museum collaborations; and a wealth of additional tools, guides, and other resources.
About Dialogue & Deliberation
Learn more about Dialogue & Deliberation, how it can advance community priorities, and how you can put it into practice at your science center or museum!
Dialogue & Deliberation Skills
Learn about the five core skills that ASTC has identified for science and technology center professionals looking to undertake Dialogue & Deliberation efforts.
Dialogue & Deliberation in Action
Read examples of successful Dialogue & Deliberation efforts from other science centers and museums.
Resource Library
Explore our growing library of resources about all the Approaches to Community Science, including Dialogue & Deliberation.