Systemic Consensing and action learning: what can our democracy learn from them?

Elmar Turk and Dorothea Erharter

Action Learning: Research and Practice, 2025, vol. 22, issue 2, 236-244

Abstract: In times of growing societal complexity and uncertainty, traditional decision-making mechanisms such as the majority principle are increasingly reaching their limits. This article explores the interplay between Systemic Consensing (SC) and Action Learning (AL) as innovative, participatory approaches to decision-making that are committed to the principles of a mature democracy. Both methods focus on integrating diverse perspectives, fostering co-creative processes, and thereby increasing the acceptance and sustainability of solutions. Central to both is a conscious engagement with resistance, which is seen as a valuable resource for better decisions. SC systematically reduces polarization by focusing on resistance rather than approval, while AL teaches how to embrace uncertainty productively. We therefore see SC as a valuable complement to AL. Using practical examples, the article illustrates how both methods can contribute to the further development of democratic processes – beyond majority logic and blind expert reliance – and invites a more conscious approach to power, uncertainty, and participation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/14767333.2025.2510808

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