研究者在參與社區型公民會議的過程中,發現會議所討論的議題在會議結束之後未能持續被關注,社區民眾的行動網絡也未能建構起來。社區民眾本身及社區行動都是影響社區發展的關鍵因素。研究者不禁提問,為何社區民眾在討論之後難以發展行動,實踐其理念落實於生活?本文以淡水社區為例,透過與社區民眾的晤談,結合社會互動概念與人文區位學,發現社區的發展驅力在於「社區意識」與「社區居民與社區的連結」,而社區民眾的主體發展更是關係到其參與社區事務主動性及社區願景發展的關鍵因素,最後反思審議民主與社區民眾主體發展及社區願景建構的可能性發展。 This study aims at exploring the meanings and interactions between community and deliberative democracy. As we commonly know that community represents civil spirit and the essence of civil society. It also is the fundamental unit of civil society and its action is essential to the development of community. To develop an ideal form of civil society, deliberative democracy has been practiced on community in Taiwan for several years. People discuss social issues or national policies through the norms of meeting. Discussing through deliberative way for the public in community is something difficult and different from usual meeting. Particularly when the public in the meeting usually keep silent or insist on their own opinion. Furthermore, it is hard for the community to form collective action even when consensus is formed. The research has therefore tried to probe into the question if deliberative democracy could facilitate civil society in Taiwan.
Community awareness and community links are key drivers of community development after carefully analyzing workshop report of Agenda 21 of Tamsui community and interviews of the community leaders and residents. Deliberative democracy makes people realizing the essence of meaningful discussions, mutual communication and opinion representation. The finding suggests that we should foster community awareness and community links. With the additional catalyst effect of deliberative democracy, visions of community and scenarios of alternative futures could be effectively developed.