Brett Davidson

"How do we bring [stigmatized people] to also have input in deliberative forums and places?"

Country: South Africa

Areas of Interest: Health; Media; Communication

Email: brettdavi@gmail.com

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What is she currently doing?

Works for Open Society Foundation at the Public Health Program – coaching health institutions and organizations to use new media tools to help them get their message across and to bring about policies change.

New Questions around democracy

How do we translate ideas into concrete actions/activism? People who are stigmatized and left on the fringes of society – how do we bring them in, to also have input in deliberative forums and places (ex: intellectually disable people, gypises, sex workers, etc)?

Quotes/Insights

"I carry many things that I learned there (at the Kettering Foundation). (…) I think the bridge, the divide among people and politicians is still very much present in the work that I do (…) a lot of work in grassroots – helping the communities to do politics for themselves to change policies that affect them. A lot of it is helping communities decide what they want, to make decisions and then interact with those in power. You know, to have conversations to those in power in a meaningful way. To participate in decision making (processe) about they. (…) You know I still think that I carry the ideas that I came cross at the 14Kettering Foundation. The concept of deliberation is very much on the back of my mind, when we plan things… . (….) The general approach is there. It might not be very specific in terms of my activities at the moment. But I think I definitely carry the approach of public participation, deliberative democracy on how we feel people should interact with those in power."

#media #communication #journalismandtechnology #southafrica