An Assessment of Search Conferences: Citizen Participation and Civic Engagement in Turbulent Times

After 45 years of use to involve citizens instrategic planning of community issues, noevaluation studies of search conferences had takenplace. Three questions are explored: Are searchconferences effective, do they contribute to civicengagement, and what conditions are related toeffectiveness. Ten cases were studied along with ameta-analysis of nine other studies.This book reports 4 predictable outcomes: 1. newnetworks among stakeholders are created, 2.sponsor's objectives are met if they involvevisioning or strategic planning, 3. mutualunderstanding and learning occur, and 4. commonground is the foundation for viable action groups.No conclusions could be made about the outcomesrelated to civic engagement. Questions are raisedabout the authenticity of search conferences as anexpression of direct democracy.The identification of conditions for success fromthis study should be useful to practitioners andpotential public or non-profit sector sponsors ofconferences. Assuring that the conditions foreffectiveness are met can mean the differencebetween incremental change and transformative changeand enhancing civic engagement.