Democratic innovation beyond the deliberative paradigm? Introduction to the special issue

This Special Issue addresses mounting concerns about the dominance of an uncritical interpretation of deliberative democratic theory in the study and practice of democratic innovations. While deliberative democracy provides one of the normative undercurrents of the field, its reduction to procedural design and narrow focus on mini-publics risks constraining the democratic imagination and limiting transformative potential. We support a critical turn in the field of democratic innovation by strengthening empowered citizen participation, widening inclusion, confronting political and social domination, and foregrounding systemic change. The contributions in this Special Issue develop this agenda in two directions: by reasserting the critical dimension of deliberative democracy, and by drawing on alternative theoretical traditions to rethink the scope, design, and practice of democratic innovations. The articles in this collection examine diverse contexts and formats, from arts-based practices and post-conflict deliberation to hybrid institutions and assemblage perspectives, as well as a kaleidoscopic view of democratic theory. Together, they highlight the diversity, contextual embeddedness, and plural normative resources of democratic innovation, offering new directions for democratic renewal.