6 Citizens' assemblies and the public sphere

This chapter investigates the relationship between CAs and discourse in the public sphere. Rather than consider CAs as authoritative forums, it argues that CAs should be viewed as conduits of public deliberation that are influenced by public discourse and have the potential to reshape public sphere deliberations in turn. This chapter first establishes the normative basis for linking CAs to the public sphere by focusing on their external quality. Then, it uses the empirical literature on CAs to outline three ways they can be linked to public sphere deliberations in practice: by contributing to public deliberation, by inviting public deliberation, or by triggering meta-deliberation.