ABSTRACT
Participation lies at the core of democracy and justice. We refer here to participation in decision making about our lives and communities, about the kind of world we want to live in, about the social policies and practices that govern our lives. Across contexts as varied as the workplace, public housing, and education, there is compelling evidence on the social psychological, political, and intellectual significance of democratic participation (Freire, 1982; Levin, 2004; Martín-BarÓ, 1994; Saegert & Winkle, 2004; Vanderslice, 1995). People's ability to “exercise their free agency and choose in an informed and participatory way,” as political and economic theorist Amatrya Sen (2004) reminds us, is a necessary condition for democracy (p. 65). The United Nations has taken an even stronger position, declaring participation a fundamental human right in their Convention on the Rights of the Child. The convention, which has been endorsed by all nations except the United States and Somalia, states that children everywhere have basic human rights—including the right to participate fully in family, cultural, and social life (UNICEF, 1989). And so it seems clear: there must be adequate opportunity for adults and youth to help design, reflect upon, and challenge (as necessary) social policies of intimate impact. Democratic policy formulation insists upon deep participation—of rigorous investigation, dialogue, dissent, and public debate … even in the United States.
