ABSTRACT
Public consultation is frequently required in policy development related to science to enhance representation and trustworthiness (Dietrich and Schibeci 2003; Fukuyama and Furger 2007; House of Lords 2000; Walmsley 2009). It is not without its critics. Public consultation is often criticised for tokenism or superficiality; it imposes costs and the recommendations that follow may inhibit trade and liberty. This chapter narrows the scope to the most ambitious of public consultation – deliberative engagement – that is intended to provide informed, warranted, and civic-minded conclusions. Despite the critiques of public consultation, assessments of specific attempts to support deliberative engagement demonstrate that carefully structured deliberations can provide valuable input into policy processes and implementation. Further, the examples suggest that when a diversity of perspectives and interests are well represented, deliberation focuses on components of governance that the participants believe are important for the trustworthy management of uncertainty.
