Framing Questions for Dialogue and Deliberation

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This paper explores the critical role of framing in the design of dialogue and deliberative processes addressing complex, contentious and polarized issues. Drawing on theory and practitioner experience, the paper outlines methods for designing guiding questions that support the distinct phases of dialogue, deliberation, and collaborative decision-making. It offers principles for practitioners seeking to design questions that transform adversarial discourse into constructive engagement and enable communities to move from conflict toward cooperative governance.

This work was supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation.