Review: Unraveling a Mystery

The Influences of Deliberative Minipublics on Public Decision-making (PhD by Julien Vri jdagh, University of Stuttgart)

Abstract

In ‘Unraveling a Mystery: The Influences of Deliberative Minipublics on Public Decision-making’, Julien Vrydagh takes the reader on a stimulating journey through three critical questions surrounding the increasing use of deliberative minipublics worldwide: (1) How do organisers justify the use of minipublics? (2) What is minipublics’ influence on policymaking? (3) And what usage and influence can and should they have? Since the thesis is article based, the three questions are addressed in separate chapters, which are set up as standalone pieces. Yet, Dr Vrydagh ties them nicely together – both in the introduction and the conclusion as, in a nutshell, he examines (1) what minipublics are said to do, (2) what they do and (3) what they should do. Thereby, he performs an impressive triangular balancing act between empirical political science, engagement with the work of practitioners and political theory.