The Center for Democratic Deliberation (CDD) was founded in 2006 as a nonpartisan, interdisciplinary center for research, teaching, and outreach on issues of civic engagement and democratic deliberation.  It is concerned with two of the most basic requirements of a healthy participatory democracy: (1) a citizenry with the knowledge and communicative skills necessary for engaged democratic citizenship; and (2) a culture of vibrant, informed deliberation, where citizens discuss, debate, and render collective decisions on matters of public importance.

The CDD recognizes that if citizens are to participate in civic affairs, they must have good information and the critical skills necessary to evaluate information and arguments. They must know how to articulate their own views on important issues, and they need opportunities to test their opinions in the give-and-take of public debate. They must understand the rules and traditions of democratic deliberation, and they need at least some basic knowledge of America’s history and political institutions.  Above all, they must be motivated to participate, and they need assurances that their participation matters. The CDD promotes these goals by sponsoring research on the problems and challenges of democratic citizenship in the twenty-first century, and through curriculum and outreach initiatives designed to encourage more robust public deliberation.