Creating participatory expert bodies. How the targeted selection of policy advisers can bridge the epistemic-democratic divide.

Abstract

This study explores the room for reconciliation between democratic and epistemic claims to modern policy-making. The key institutional design question it deals with is how to compose arenas of policy advice and consultation in such a way that they are able to generate both reliable, knowledge-based policy solutions and represent the perspectives of those affected – without becoming dysfunctional. After an inclusive re-conceptualisation of ‘participation’ and ‘expertise’, the study compares different group selection mechanisms in terms of their epistemic and democratic merits and makes the case for the ‘targeted selection’ of policy advisors in the phase of policy development. It delineates conditions of creating ‘participatory expert bodies’ that are primarily made up of societal stakeholders from intermediary organisations, who can assume the double role of expert and civil society representative and are supported by researchers, civil servants and lay citizens. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/.