Works and plays well with others? An analysis of the United States Forest Service and deliberative democracy
Abstract
In an attempt to quell the number of court cases and other impediments to environmental policy, Congress is increasingly implementing deliberative policy mandates requiring environmental bureaucracies to work with the public to establish and implement solutions to various policy needs. The literature extensively addresses citizens and environmental deliberative groups and their responses to deliberative demands. What is missing from the literature is an understanding of the bureaucracy and how public employees can work with citizen and organizations to become successful deliberators and advance deliberative policy initiatives in the field. This research project examines the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2003) and its deliberative demand for the creation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans in an effort to minimize the threat of catastrophic wildfire in the western United States. Charged with coordinating such efforts, the US Forest Service seems an unlikely candidate for deliberative policy making because of its reliance on scientific management, history of non-collaborative efforts, and unique organizational culture. Nevertheless, my research finds that the US Forest Service is capable of successful deliberative policymaking and uses a case study approach to understand the conditions under which successful deliberation occurs. Theoretically, studying bureaucratic deliberation expands the breadth and scope of the deliberative democracy literature. The bureaucracy is a critical agent in the deliberative dialogue. Practically, understanding how different deliberative participants approach deliberative policymaking will help lawmakers, bureaucrats, environmentalists, and citizens approach one another in a manner that facilitates greater understanding and in turn better policy outcomes.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Raymond, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Political science
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