difference between assent and consent
To consent is to give permission, which could have been withheld. It implies a power relationship where the consent is granted by the party with more power. There is the political theory that says, governments can rule only with the consent of the governed. That is, the people consent to be governed and thus grant their power to the government. To assent is to agree with a statement made by an equal. On the Supreme Court, one justice writes the opinion of the majority, to which other justices assent. Those that disagree are said to dissent, that is to disagree. So, consent = permission while assent = agreement.
Consent may only be given by individuals who have reached the legal age of consent (in the U.S. this is typically 18 years old). Assent is the agreement of someone not able to give legal consent to participate in the activity. Work with children or adults not capable of giving consent requires the consent of the parent or legal guardian and the assent of the subject. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution and is a part of the University of Alaska system.