Vermont is blessed with an annual exercise in the habits of deliberation. Every March, cities and towns provide a structured space where disagreements can be aired and where advocates can use their persuasive powers to move the assembly. Due to the pandemic, many cities and towns are forgoing Town Meeting in favor of voting by Australian ballot. What do we lose when we can’t deliberate?

This presentation considers both the political theory and the cognitive science behind the habits of deliberation. Political theorists have always warned against making decisions when not all sides have been heard. Cognitive scientists have recently proved how echo chambers confound good decision-making. Both types of experts agree that the solution to our cognitive limitations is to require robust disagreements. We’ll consider how we can foster good clash within our organizations and with the general public.

About Meg Mott

After 20 years of teaching constitutional law and political theory at Marlboro College, Meg Mott has taken her love of argument to the general public. Since the 2016 election, Meg has been traveling around the Northeast presenting on the Constitution. Mott’s opinions on constitutional protections have appeared in the Washington Post, Inside Higher Ed, and the Brattleboro Reformer.

About the Vermont Civics Collaborative

“Why it Matters: Civics and Electoral Participation” is an initiative sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Federation for State Humanities Councils.