A democratic listening circle for just transition in Bristol
Collaborating with the originators of Bristol’s Just Transition Declaration to pilot a novel approach to city-based agenda-setting discussions, putting marginalised and disadvantaged communities in the centre of decision-making.
The challenge
A group of community activists in Bristol has proposed a Just Transition Declaration for the city. The draft Declaration’s 10 principles have been developed with grassroots communities in the city and presented to city governance organisations such as the Environment Board. It sits alongside Bristol’s Climate Emergency and Ecological Emergency declarations. Together, these Declarations call for urgent change to the way things are done in the city.
Meeting and deliberating in the same ways that we always have may replicate existing problems, including existing systemic injustices of whose voices are heard most.
What we're doing
Our approach is a Democratic Listening Circle based in traditions of indigenous governance practices, and roots in Quaker decision-making. In collaboration with the originators of the Just Transition Declaration, a cross section of city stakeholders and community members will be invited to participate in a circle responding to the Declaration with creativity and imagination, critical thought and concerns.
How it helps
This project aims to pilot a different way of meeting, speaking and listening in civic conversations, which embodies the principles of Just Transition (including centering the expertise of disadvantaged communities) and enables different outcomes to emerge, taking us toward the possibility of a just approach to net zero by 2030.
We will use reflective practices to assess the approach taken and develop further research into the use of Democratic Listening Circles after this initial pilot, if it is successful.
Investigators
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Dr Emilia Melville, School of Computer Science
- Dr Jack Nicholls, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Lead researcher profile
Dr Emilia Melville, School of Computer Science