Citizens’ Assemblies as Heuristic Devices for the Public

On June 5, 2023, Alice Moseley (University of Exeter) presented ongoing research from the REDIRECT project at University College Dublin, Ireland.

Her talk focused on the role of citizens’ assemblies as heuristic devices—tools that support both researchers and the public in understanding broader democratic dynamics. Drawing on conceptual work from Work Package 7, Moseley explored how citizens’ assemblies function not only as democratic innovations in themselves, but also as analytical lenses for examining evolving relationships between representatives and the represented.

The presentation also highlighted the potential of citizens’ assemblies to shed light on key issues such as trust, legitimacy, and participatory expectations within contemporary democracies.

This event was part of REDIRECT’s early-stage dissemination efforts, aimed at testing theoretical frameworks and sharing initial reflections with scholars working on democratic participation and representation.

Date: 5 June 2023

Location: University College Dublin, Ireland

Partner: University of Exeter (UNEXE)

Participant: Alice Moseley

Type of event: Meeting / Academic exchange

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