Deliberation Across a Space of Reasons: Assessing Epistemic Changes in Group Discussions

Most research dealing with deliberation focuses on individual-level data, and the epistemic dimension of deliberation is rarely analyzed. Drawing on Habermas's "space of reasons" account, we offer a novel analytical perspective on the variation in the stock of reasons in a given discussion, and disentangle how it transforms throughout the process. On the basis of data from face-to-face discussions involving two embattled groups in Brazil (police officers and slum residents), the findings revealed an expansion and diversification in the stock of reasons and, more importantly, a change in the nature of reasons regarding a political perspective. The results suggest that deliberation in an environment with competing considerations can yield epistemic gains beyond individuals' behavior and competencies.