Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, host Kristen Collins chats with Alice Siu on how deliberative polling fosters informed, respectful public dialogue. They discuss the method’s use in both in-person and on AI-assisted virtual forums, its role in shaping policy, and its potential to reduce polarization. Alice highlights the importance of teaching deliberative skills in schools and how real-time, structured conversations can strengthen democracy.
Dr. Alice Siu (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/people/alice-siu) is an Associate Director at Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab and a senior research fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.
Read more work from Kristen Collins (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/scholars/kristen-collins) .
Show Notes:
• Alice’s book chapter, “Reimagining Democracy: The Role of Technology and Deliberation (mediatechdemocracy.com/reimagining-democracy) ”
• Alice's paper for the American Political Science Review, "Can Deliberation Have Lasting Effects? (cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/can-deliberation-have-lasting-effects/341938D11548550CBEBA9B93109065CE) "
• Alice’s paper for the American Political Science Review, “Is Deliberation an Antidote to Extreme Partisan Polarization? Reflections on ‘America in One Room’ (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/deliberation-antidote-extreme-partisan-polarization-reflections-%E2%80%9Camerica-one-room%E2%80%9D-0) ”
• Results of Alice’s work with Meta, April 2024 (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/meta-community-forum-results-analysis) , April 2025 (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/meta-community-forum-results-analysis-0) , “Results of First Global Deliberative Poll® Announced by Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/news/results-first-global-deliberative-pollr-announced-stanfords-deliberative-democracy-lab) ”
• New York Times article, “She Is in Love With ChatGPT (nytimes.com/2025/01/15/technology/ai-chatgpt-boyfriend-companion.html) ”
• S1E4, Jennifer Forestal on Designing Democratic Digital Spaces (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments/jennifer-forestal-designing-democratic-digital-spaces)
• S3E1, Kris Rose on Deliberative Democracy and Meta's Community Forums (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments/kris-rose-deliberative-democracy-and-metas-community-forums)
If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow the Hayek Program (twitter.com/hayekprogram) on Twitter: @HayekProgram
Learn more about Academic & Student Programs (asp.mercatus.org/)
Follow the Mercatus Center (twitter.com/mercatus) on Twitter: @mercatus
On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, host Kristen Collins chats with Alice Siu on how deliberative polling fosters informed, respectful public dialogue. They discuss the method’s use in both in-person and on AI-assisted virtual forums, its role in shaping policy, and its potential to reduce polarization. Alice highlights the importance of teaching deliberative skills in schools and how real-time, structured conversations can strengthen democracy.
Dr. Alice Siu (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/people/alice-siu) is an Associate Director at Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab and a senior research fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.
Read more work from Kristen Collins (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/scholars/kristen-collins) .
Show Notes:
• Alice’s book chapter, “Reimagining Democracy: The Role of Technology and Deliberation (mediatechdemocracy.com/reimagining-democracy) ”
• Alice's paper for the American Political Science Review, "Can Deliberation Have Lasting Effects? (cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/can-deliberation-have-lasting-effects/341938D11548550CBEBA9B93109065CE) "
• Alice’s paper for the American Political Science Review, “Is Deliberation an Antidote to Extreme Partisan Polarization? Reflections on ‘America in One Room’ (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/deliberation-antidote-extreme-partisan-polarization-reflections-%E2%80%9Camerica-one-room%E2%80%9D-0) ”
• Results of Alice’s work with Meta, April 2024 (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/meta-community-forum-results-analysis) , April 2025 (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/meta-community-forum-results-analysis-0) , “Results of First Global Deliberative Poll® Announced by Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab (https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/news/results-first-global-deliberative-pollr-announced-stanfords-deliberative-democracy-lab) ”
• New York Times article, “She Is in Love With ChatGPT (nytimes.com/2025/01/15/technology/ai-chatgpt-boyfriend-companion.html) ”
• S1E4, Jennifer Forestal on Designing Democratic Digital Spaces (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments/jennifer-forestal-designing-democratic-digital-spaces)
• S3E1, Kris Rose on Deliberative Democracy and Meta's Community Forums (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments/kris-rose-deliberative-democracy-and-metas-community-forums)
If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow the Hayek Program (twitter.com/hayekprogram) on Twitter: @HayekProgram
Learn more about Academic & Student Programs (asp.mercatus.org/)
Follow the Mercatus Center (twitter.com/mercatus) on Twitter: @mercatus
