Democracy in Small Groups: Participation, Decision-making and Communication

by John Gastil, Barbara Hirshkowitz

Drawing from years of experience and study, John Gastil offers a variety of solutions to the problems commonly faced by small, democratic groups. He thoroughly explores the dynamics of practising democracy, including the relationship between speaking rights and listening responsibilities; the importance of full access to information and agenda setting; and ways to practice democracy in personal, family and neighbourhood life. Throughout, he enriches his suggestions with detailed descriptions of the dynamics within a co-operative grocery store. To help readers to choose the democratic structure most appropriate to their group, the book also surveys the full range of democratic processes -- including consensus, majority rule, and proportional outcomes.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

John Gastil is a professor in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State University, where he also serves as Senior Scholar at the McCourtney Institute for Democracy. The National Science Foundation has supported numerous large-scale research programs for which he has served as a principal investigator.

Gastil has worked on campaigns for federal, state, and local office in California and New Mexico. He has also written two novels, which will be published in 2020 by Cosmic Egg Books (UK). He resides in State College, PA.