Deliberative Democracy and Divided Societies

This book presents a philosophical argument about deliberative democracy and its relevance to the resolution of deadly ethnic conflicts. It is the first major work to examine such conflicts from a deliberative perspective, and shows how a proper respect for deliberative norms and procedures can enable the citizens of divided societies to foster and sustain a stronger sense of common national identity. More specifically, its central claim is that deliberative norms can enable divided societies to balance the need to recognize competing ethnic claims with the need to create an overarching civic nationality.