There are three sections to this guidebook. The first section talks about what deliberative democracy is and why it matters. It also lays out the kinds of problems with democracy that deliberative democracy can solve – especially if it is institutionalized. 

The second section presents options for change. These include case studies about examples of institutionalization. It also includes promising proposals that have not yet been implemented.

The third section is about making institutionalization happen. It includes reflections about embedding deliberation in governments, a set of guidance questions about stakeholders, and a “map” of three possible paths to institutionalization: legislation, government decisions, and binding referenda.