In Educating for Deliberative Democracy, contributing authors and editor Nancy L. Thomas explore the critical role that higher education can play ? alongside expanding coalitions of civic organizations, public officials, and everyday citizens ? in strengthening democracy. At the heart of these efforts is a conviction that persistent public problems call for dialogue and deliberation that result in collective action by diverse groups of informed, skilled, motivated, and principled citizens--what many call deliberative democracy.

What makes deliberative democracy so appealing...