Moving up and down the ladder: community-based participation in public dialogue and deliberation in Bolivia and Guatemala.

This article analyses how communities and its representatives have been involved in public dialogue and deliberation processes in Bolivia and Guatemala. It draws on my own experience and personal reflection in supporting and facilitating community participation in public dialogue initiatives in these countries. First, I comment briefly on the origin and current role of dialogue and deliberation in Latin America. Then, I reflect upon my own experience to illustrate two cases where communities and their organizations have been involved in these processes, both at local and national level. On the basis of these cases, I conclude with some key lessons and challenges to consider when supporting multi-stakeholder dialogic processes wherein communities are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]