BIO

Ava is a junior at Florida State University, double majoring in political science and psychology. She has always had a passion for politics and has had experience working in the district office, legislative office, and campaigns for members of the federal and state government. Ava hopes to attend law school or work in the legislative side of politics in the future.

Beyond Debate: Understanding the Dynamics of Collective Deliberation in Decision-Making

Abstract

For the political process to work, elected officials must work together to make the best decisions for their constituents. One central part of the political process in the U.S. is committees, where a select group of elected officials serves on a committee of a specific issue area to hear bills and witnesses. For a bill to come to the floor, it must be voted through by the committee members. In order for there to be a successful outcome, members must work together to pass different legislations with all of their priorities. However, some factors- like power, outside influence, and structure- can influence how effective working together can be. Collective deliberation is when group members come together to debate the pros and cons of each decision to create a more informed outcome.

Keywords: politics, decision-making, committee