Social movements and citizens' assemblies

Social movements and citizens' assemblies are drawing closer to each other Besides engaging in internal practices of participatory and deliberative politics, some social movements are now increasingly advocating for and taking a role in the implementation of citizens' assemblies, arguably the main instrument through which deliberative democracy has been pursued. This phenomenon raises theoretical and empirical issues which we need to better understand to exploit its democratic potential. This chapter reviews some of the ongoing interactions between social movements and citizens' assemblies. It points out to some key developments in research on the topic and envisages the strengths and weaknesses of this relationship. Movements and CAs can develop a mutually beneficial relationship that benefits democracy. Nevertheless, citizens' assemblies and activism tend to be informed by different logics. If they are not carefully dealt with, they might put these forms of democratic life at odds wi...