The theory of deliberative democracy promotes the creation of systems of governance in which citizens actively exchange ideas, engage in debate, and create laws that are responsive to their interests and aspirations. While deliberative processes are being adopted in an increasing number of cases, decision-making power remains mostly in the hands of traditional elites.

In Democratic Illusion, Genevieve Fuji Johnson examines four representative examples: participatory budgeting in the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Deliberative Polling by Nova Scotia Power Incorporated, a national consultation process by the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization, and public consultations embedded in the development of official languages policies in Nunavut. In each case, measures that appeared to empower the public failed to challenge the status quo approach to either formulating or implementing policy.

Illuminating a critical gap between deliberative democratic theory and its applications, this timely and important study shows what needs to be done to ensure deliberative processes offer more than the illusion of democracy.

Genevieve Fuji Johnson is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

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• Winner, Weller Prize awarded by the British Columbia Political Studies Association

‘In this volume Fuji Johnson deftly navigates the choppy waters between cynicism and criticism… The book is a valuable addition to both the literature on deliberative democracy and public policy and it should be read by any scholar concerned about the state of Canadian democracy.’

Canadian Journal of Political Science vol 51:01:2018