Democratic Decision-making

Peter Emerson is the director of the Belfast-based international NGO "The de Borda Institute" (Ireland). He has campaigned for inclusive governance since 1978. His publications include From Majority Rule to Inclusive Politics (Springer, 2016), Defining Democracy: Voting Procedures in Decision-Making, Elections and Governance (2nd ed. in 2012, Springer) and Designing an All-Inclusive Democracy: Consensual Voting Procedures for Use in Parliaments, Councils and Committees (Springer, 2007).

“For those practitioners who are already convinced of consensus decision-making’s merits, and therefore less in need of a theoretical discussion than a ‘how-to’ guide, this book will be a welcome contribution. Broader audiences may enjoy it too: there should always be a space for big ideas in research, and Democratic Decision-making is certainly that. Emerson deserves credit for championing his sincerely-held belief in consensus politics despite continued indifference from much of the ‘formal’ political world.” (Luke Field,Irish Political Studies, March 28, 2021)

• The Problem.- Decision-making.- The A-B-C-D of Voting.- Consensus Voting.- The Consequences of Consequences.- Comparing Decision-making Voting Procedures.- Comparing Electoral Systems.