ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a particular version of civic professionalism, one that moves beyond Sullivan's model and gives citizens a much stronger voice in decisions typically made for them. It explores the possibility of professionals moving away from viewing their role principally as providing solutions for others and instead as creating opportunities that enable the public to participate more directly in finding solutions themselves on important issues affecting their lives. The chapter discusses the differences between democratic professionalism and the social trustee model of the professions, the latter conceiving of citizens as dependent on and needy of professional expertise and services. It shows how democratic professionalism is built around the idea of professionals and lay-people engaging in information sharing, public deliberation and joint decision-making. Civic/democratic professionals are enablers of democracy aiming to empower citizens to make informed decisions on important matters of public concern. It concludes with examples of what democratic professionalism might look like in three different professions.
