Definition:

A policy dialogue is used to resolve regulatory, policy, and community conflicts with multiple stakeholders. Facilitated meetings are held over a period of time to develop or influence policy.

Users:

Anyone concerned about a policy that is likely to affect a diverse group of people. Especially if it seems that many of the stakeholders involved in the conflict won't have a chance to give their input.

Description:

Policy dialogues address controversial and often technical disputes. They help the public, private, and civic sectors exchange information and come to consensus on recommendations for solving the dispute.

Policy dialogues:

• bring diverse groups to the table,
• focus on a regulatory, policy, or planning issue,
• have a life cycle with a beginning, middle, and end, and
• attempt to find practical solutions to complex problems.

Some examples are:

• A group charged by a state department to propose a new Total Maximum Daily Load range for the amount of pollutants allowable in a stream.
• A federal agency working with tribal councils, recreational users, timber interests, and others on stewardship practices in a National Forest.

Policy dialogues usually have a sponsor, a negotiated mission or goal, stakeholders who are willing to negotiate a tough issue in a disciplined manner, and facilitators to help organize and moderate proceedings.

The idea of democracy is founded on the belief that citizens can and should govern themselves. Unfortunately, effective deliberation of controversial issues is often problematic. For example:

• A council in rural Illinois is trying to craft agreements between developers, farmers, environmental advocates, and government officials. Productive discussions are impossible. The meeting starts with a recitation of old battles and descends into name-calling.
• Asian students in a Los Angles high school speak out about recurring racial slurs. Their call for an open discussion between teachers and students is ignored.

Often, discussions on important civic matters end for the wrong reasons, groups can't get organized or there is no accepted dialogue process. Communication breakdowns often trigger an escalating spiral of suspicion with increased tension and confusion. Often, people of normal integrity and good will actively seek to defeat each other and, in the words of one writer, go "together into the abyss." Policy dialogues can help remedy such situations.

Although there are no magic formulas for success, these three ingredients may help get people interested in starting such a process, and are also likely to keep them involved. These are:

• Ripeness: If the issue is ripe, all the participants are frustrated with traditional adversary processes and are willing to change approaches.
• Poor Alternatives: Participants can't get a better outcome alone.
• Creative Leadership: Creative leaders truly want to solicit input and can explain (at the end) why or why not they are taking the recommendations.

Examples:

There are many examples. One is the Keystone Center's Dialogue on Assembled Chemical Weapon Assessment ("ACWA"). ACWA was a response to concerns regarding the Army's plans to destroy obsolete and dangerous stockpiled weapons. The group included community members, government regulators; representatives from tribal nations, activists and military staff. Many participants had been involved in disputes before and had testified against each other in court.

Despite their bitter history, the participants reached full consensus in drafting a highly technical proposal for evaluating alternatives to incineration and the drafting of progress reports to Congress each year and recommended steps forward. After the dialogue, the government decided that the alternative technologies will be implemented at two sites. These $2 billion-plus facilities mark the first chemical weapons sites where DOD has not encountered lawsuits and extensive delays. Less tangible goals included more realistic expectations, the ability to creatively compromise, increased trust among all parties.

Applications:

Policy dialogues are useful for any public policy dispute that involves many parties, complex issues, and difficult decisions. Usually they are focused on public issues and public decisions, although they can work for private issues and business decisions as well.

Links to Related Articles: