What is Public Engagement?
Public engagement broadly refers to involving members of the public in decisions that impact them, but types of engagement can vary widely. At one end of the spectrum, there is unidirectional or “one-way” engagement, which involves one-way communication. At the other end of the spectrum are engagements involving multidirectional communication between multiple groups, stakeholders, and institutions. The courts involved in this project used a variety of different engagement approaches and illustrate how different forms of engagement can be used depending on your court’s goals, target audiences, available resources, contexts of engagement, and other factors. Read more >>
Why Public Engagement Could Build Trust
Community leaders, government officials, and members of the public alike have grappled with declining levels of public trust in our institutions, and a growing sense of division. Numerous scholars assert that engagement in civic affairs increases trust among people. Social interactions via engagement in civic affairs breaks down personal or group borders and promotes democratic values and learning. In addition, institutions can promote practices or values that reflect the importance of what matters to the people it serves, and therefore, increase trust and facilitate further engagement. Read more >>
Preventing "False Hopes": When Public Engagement May Not Build Trust
Although public engagement can build trust, there also are a number of reasons why public engagement might not build trust. Knowing about the factors and features of public engagement that could work against trust-building is important in order to be able to address potential problems and ensure your public engagement efforts are successful. Read more >>