‘Should we advertise to children on television?’ was a one-day workshop modelled after a citizens’ jury: a tool of deliberative democracy in which a representative sample of citizens, guided by experts in relevant fields, critically engages with a public policy issue. Citizens’ juries help inform policymakers about citizens’ deeper views on issues of public concern, give citizens a chance to produce informed opinions, and help build consensus. Our event brought together Warwick University students – as citizens first and students second – to consider evidence from stakeholders in the debate over television advertising to children. Findings will be used to develop, with IATL's help, the model of a student-focused citizens’ jury for application elsewhere in higher education.

Participants had the chance to critically explore an important public policy issue while facing some of the challenges inherent to deciding public policy.