Citizens' assemblies: Working with conscious and unconscious dynamics in support of deliberative democracy

This paper presents an empirical study on the effects of group dynamics in citizens' assemblies. The study is framed from a systems psychodynamic perspective, to highlight emotional, relational, and power issues affecting task performance in citizens' assemblies. The research was part of an initiative by the Dutch government to encourage citizen participation in reviewing the electoral process. The results offer an in-depth understanding of conscious and unconscious dynamics that impact individual citizens' assembly members, the assembly-as- a-whole, and the larger system around the assembly. The study shows how specific emotional, relational, and power dynamics hindered the assembly's task effectiveness, which in turn decreased creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and learning. Thus, the assembly's final proposal was compromised, undermining the possibilities of deliberative democracy.