Sortition and political viewpoint in Citizens’ Assemblies: perspectives from Brazil and India
Who is missing from a citizens’ assembly — and should political viewpoints be part of participant selection?
Much of the debate on opinion-based selection has emerged from wealthier global north contexts. The Strengthening Sortition in the Global South project brings a different perspective, drawing on research in Brazil and India.
Through focus groups, people who rarely participate in politics reviewed recommendations from two 2024 citizens’ assemblies. Responses were largely favourable, raising important questions about when political differences matter for selection — and how findings from one context translate to another.
Join this event on 29 October for an in-depth discussion of the findings and their implications for selecting participants in citizens’ assemblies across the Global South.
A project by Delibera Brasil and iDeemos in collaboration with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) and Democracy R&D, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).