Abstract
Conceptualizing trust as an activity that unfolds through deliberation, this essay develops a model of deliberative trust as a relational practice. Drawing on participants' experiences without requiring shared experiences, deliberative trust exhibits a temporal orientation that may link disparate encounters. Remaining context-specific, its practice is informed by qualities of contingency, risk, and reciprocity. I identify four qualities for practicing trust in deliberation: flexibility, forthrightness, engagement, and heedfulness. Constituting an analytic and normative framework, these qualities suggest foci for investigating deliberation and trust as well as means for bolstering trust in deliberation. As a relational practice, trust is something that people do.