Deer, Dissension, and Dialogue: A University-Community Collaboration in Public Deliberation

Abstract

Michigan State University embarked upon an initiative to explore deliberative dialogue as a tool for addressing community-based contested issues in agriculture and natural resources. Our goal is to assess the extent to which deliberative dialogue can help “bridge the divides” among citizens and professionals and fulfill the land-grant mission. In this article, I explore the strengths and impediments to this practice by examining the growing—and for many, unwelcome—population of white-tailed deer in an urban community. I discovered that deliberative dialogue can help resolve social tensions and invigorate civic life as people—working in conjunction with community-based and university professionals—consider complex issues. The three primary lessons drawn from this collaboration focus on the importance of context, learning, and the role of science. This article concludes with a discussion of how this collaborative approach can become part of the culture of university-community relations.