Dr Carson joined the department in 1999. Her research interest is in public participation in government decision making. Her book (with Brian Martin) Random Selection in Politics, explores innovative consultative mechanisms, some of which have been trialled by Dr Carson in Australia. Some of her publications can be found her on her website www.activedemocracy.net.

As a former elected representative in local government, Dr Carson has a particular interest in this sphere. She has written widely on community engagement and has been involved with the design, management or implementation of consensus conferences, citizens' juries, televotes and deliberative polls. She is currently undertaking an inventory of deliberative, inclusive processes in Australia.

• Community consultation
• Local government
• Political sociology
• Political theory
• Public participation in government decision making
• Small group democracy
• Social change
• Teaching
• Teaching and learning

2008

Chapter in Book/s

Carson, L (2008 in press), 'Taking control: Young people convening Australia’s first youth jury', Effective Practice of Adult-Youth Engagement in Social and Environmental Justice.

2006

Book Section/s

Carson L 2006 'Avoiding ghettos of like-minded people: Random selection and organizational collaboration' in Creating a Culture of Collaboration, ed. S. Schuman, Jossey Bass/Wiley, San Francisco pp. 418-32.

Carson L 2006 'E-Moderation in Public Discussion Forums' in Encyclopedia of Digital Government , ed. A-V Anttiroiko and M Mälkiä, Idea Group Inc., pp. 684-90.

Journal Article/s

Carson L and Fisher K 2006 'Raising the Bar of Criticality: Students' Critical Reflection in an Internship Program', Journal of Management Education, vol.30:5.

Carson L 2006 'Art of Conversation as an Antidote to Cultural Exclusion', Accounting Education, vol.15:1.

Carson L 2006 'Improving Public Practice: A Comparative Analysis of Two Italian Citizens' Jury Projects in 2006', Journal of Public Deliberation, vol.2:2.

2005

Book Section/s

Carson L and Hartz-Karp J 2005 'Adapting and Combining Deliberative Designs: Juries, Polls, and Forums' in The Deliberative Democracy Handbook: Strategies for Effective Civic Engagement in the Twenty-First Century, ed. J. Gastil and P Levine, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco pp. 120-138.

Carson L 2005 forthcoming 2005 'The Crucial Role of the Moderator in Creating Discourse Communities' in Encyclopedia of Digital Government, ed. A-V Anttiroiko and M Mälkiä.

Journal Article/s

Cahill D 2005 'Innovations in Empowered Participatory Governance, London & New York: Verso', Australian Review of Public Affairs.

Carson L 2005 'Building sustainable democracies', New Matilda.

Carson L 2005 'Citizens and governments: Stroppy adversaries or partners in deliberation?', Review of 'G. Patmore (ed.) 2004, The Vocal Citizen, Fitzroy Victoria: Arena & Australian Fabian Society and A. Fung & E. Olin Wright (eds) 2003 Deepening Democracy: Institutional Innovations in Empowered Participatory Governance, London & New York: Verso'', Australian Review of Public Affairs.

Carson L 2005 'Networking the Networks: Bringing the Citizen Participation Movement Together', Journal of Public Deliberation.

Carson L 2005 forthcoming 'Deliberative democracy and the Orica dispute', Risk, Decision and Policy.

Martin B and Carson L 2005 'Getting Over Post-Election Blues', The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs, Journal.

Conference Proceeding/s

Carson L and Hart P 2005 'What Randomness and Deliberation can do for Community Engagement', International Conference on Engaging Communities, Brisbane, Australia,14-17 August 2005.

2004

Book Section/s

Fisher K and Carson L 2004 'Inflaming the passion for democracy: Sparking democratic imagination in the university classroom' in Lifelong Learning and the Democratic Imagination: Revisioning Justice, Freedom and Community, ed. Peter Willis and Pam Carden, Post Pressed, Flaxton, Queensland pp. 373- 394.

Journal Article/s

Carson L 2004 'Reflections from Down Under on the Biggest Deliberation in History', Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal, vol.6, pp. 112-116.

Conference Proceeding/s

Carson L 2004 'Lotteries and Chit Chat: What Randomness and Deliberation can do for Environmental Governance', Ecopolitics XV Conference, Macquarie University, Sydney,12-14 November 2004.

Report/s

Carson L 2004 'Consult your community: A guide to running a youth jury', NSW Premier's Department, Sydney.

2003

Book Section/s

Carson L, White S, Hendriks C and Palmer J 2003 'Combining a Televote and Citizens' Jury in a Legislative Review' in Public Participation and Local Governance, ed. Joan Font, Institut de Ciències Polítiques i Socials, Barcelona, Spain pp. 167-181.

Journal Article/s

Carson L and Martin B 2003 'Social Institutions in East Timor: Following in the Undemocratic Footsteps of the West', Portuguese Studies Review, vol.11:1, pp. 123-136.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 2003 'Building Sustainable Democracies',Now We the People Conference, University of Technology.

2002

Journal Article/s

Carson L, White S, Hendriks C and Palmer J 2002 'Community Consultation in Environmental Policy Making', The Drawing Board, vol.3:1, pp. 1-13.

Carson L 2002 - forthcoming 'Report from Australia', Worldwide Direct Democracy.

Martin B and Carson L 2002 'Random Selection and Technological Decision Making', Science and Public Policy, vol.29:2, pp. 105-113.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 2002 'Community Engagement in Local Government',NZ Society of Local Government Managers Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.

Carson L 2002 'We come to bury democracy, not to praise it!'International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) National Conference, Brisbane.

Carson L 2002 - forthcoming 'Democratic systems sustained by skilful mediation',International Sociological Association Conference, Brisbane.

Hendriks C and Carson L 2002 'Deliberative Designs Down Under: Australia's experiences with innovative forms of citizen participation',Taking Democracy to Scale: A Conference on Deliberative Models of Citizen Engagement, Virginia, USA.

2001

Book Section/s

Carson L 2001 'Teaching power' in Lecturing: Case Studies, Experience and Practice, ed. Helen Edwards, Brenda Smith and Graham Webb, Kogan Page, London pp. 123-129.

Journal Article/s

Carson L 2001 'Innovative Consultation Processes and the Changing Role of Activism', Third Sector Review, vol.7:1, pp. 7-22.

Carson L 2001 'Local government, public enterprise and ethics', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol.36:2, pp. 381-382.

Carson L 2001 'Stimulating the voice of the voiceless', Third Sector Review, vol.7:2, pp. 57-71.

Carson L 2001 'Teaching Public Participation by Practicing the Principles of Consultation', Participation Quarterly, pp. 12.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L, White S, Hendriks C and Palmer J 2001 'Combining a Televote and Citizens´ Jury',Developments in Public Participation and Innovations in Community Governance, Barcelona.

Report/s

Carson L and Gelber KP 2001 'Ideas for Community Consultation: A discussion on principles and procedures for making consultation work', Report, NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, A report prepared for the NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning.

2000

Journal Article/s

Carson L 2000 'Building Deliberative Capacity', Worldwide Direct Democracy, vol.2:2, pp. 1-2.

Carson L 2000 'Swollen Chests and Punched Stomachs - Consultation in Australian Policy Making', The Drawing Board:22 December.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 2000 'Challenging and Extending Community Consultation',Education in Social Action Conference, Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology, Sydney.

Carson L 2000 'Innovative consultation processes and the changing role of activism',Fifth National Conference, Australia New Zealand Third Sector Research, University of Western Sydney.

Report/s

Carson L 2000 'Consultation in the Lismore Local Government Area: Analysis of Telephone Survey Conducted May/June 2000', Report, University of Sydney.

1999

Book/s

Carson L and Martin B 1999 Random selection in politics, Praeger Publishers, Westport, CT.

Book Section/s

Carson L 1999 'Policy Juries: A Case Study' in Questions of Life--Social Work and Social Pedagogics: Conclusions, Experience and Practice, ed. Lydia Shilneva, Attistiba Higher School of Social Work and Social Pedagogics, Riga, Latvia pp. 192-203.

Carson L 1999 'The telephone as a participatory mechanism at a local government level' in Participation and Technology, ed. Brian Martin, Science and Technology Studies, University of Wollongong, Wollongong pp. 37-60.

Journal Article/s

Carson L 1999 'Radical Teaching, Radical Democracy', Synergy:11, pp. 6-7.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 1999 'Random Selection: Achieving Representation in Planning',Alison Burton Memorial Lecture, Canberra, A.C.T.: Royal Australian Planning Institute.

Conference Proceeding/s

Carson L 1999 'Enabling Mechanisms for Public Participation in Science', Conference Proceedings: Science and Community Knowledge: Partners for Sustainability Symposium, X1X Pacific Science Congress, Sydney,4-9 July 1999.

1998

Journal Article/s

Carson L and White S 1998 'The Sydney Water contamination crisis: Manufacturing dissent', Science and Public Policy, vol.25:4, pp. 265-271.

Carson L 1998 'Random selection in consultation and participation', Community Quarterly, vol.December:47, pp. 68-76.

Carson L 1998 'Towards a politics of the heart: Reflections of an activist', New Renaissance, vol.7:23.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 1998 'Converting good ideas into sound policy and practice: community consultation in local government',Reaching Common Ground, Brighton-le-Sands: Open Government Network.

1997

Journal Article/s

Carson L 1997 'Action Learning Team - Building Bridges Within a Local Council', Journal of Workplace Learning, vol.9:5, pp. 148-152.

Conference Paper/s

Carson L 1997 'Teaching politics democratically',Australasian Political Studies Conference 1997, Flinders University, Adelaide: APSA, 149-158.

Knox S and Carson L 1997 'Public involvement and expert opinion in risky situations: a case study of a flood prone city',Conference Paper ISoCaRP JAPA World Congress, Ogaki, Japan: International Society of City and Regional Planners.

1996

Conference Proceeding/s

Carson L 1996 'When community consultation hits the wall', Proceedings from Reaching Common Ground: Open Government Community Consultation and Public Participation Conference,23-24 October, 1996.

Thesis

Carson L 1996 'How do decision makers in local government respond to public participation? Case study: Lismore City Council 1991-1995', - Southern Cross University.

Report/s

Fisher K and Carson L 1996 'Community consultation October - December 1995', Consultation Report, Byron Shire Council.