Power, Participation and Political Renewal: Case Studies in Public ParticipationPublic participation is central to a wide range of current public policies - not only in the UK, but elsewhere in the developed and the developing world. There are substantial aspirations for what enhanced participation can achieve. This book offers a critical examination of both the discourse and practice of participation in order to understand the significance of this explosion in participatory forums, and the extent to which such practices represent a fundamental change in governance. Based on 17 case studies across a range of policy areas in two English cities, the authors address key issues such as: the way in which notions of the public are constructed; the motivation of participants; how the interests and identities of officials and citizens are negotiated within forums; and the ways in which institutions enable and constrain the development of participation initiatives. Much of the literature on public participation is highly normative. This book draws from detailed empirical work, theories of governance, of deliberative democracy and social movements to offer a nuanced account of the dynamics of participation and to suggest why experiences of this can be frustrating as well as transformative. This book will be essential reading for students of public and social policy and offers important insights for those directly engaged in developing participation initiatives across the public sector |
Contents
three Inclusive democracy and social movements | 33 |
public bodies and their publics | 53 |
five Reforming services | 71 |
six Neighbourhood and community governance | 99 |
seven Responding to a differentiated public | 135 |
eight Issues and expertise | 165 |
power participation and political renewal | 183 |
References | 207 |
Index | 221 |
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Common terms and phrases
action active agenda approach area committee argued attempts authority become bodies capacity centre challenge Chapter citizens City claims collective commitment concerned considered constituted consultation context council created decision deliberation deliberative democracy discourse discussed enable engagement established evidence example experience expressed focus forms governance identified identity important individuals influence initiatives institutional interests involved issues knowledge legitimacy living London means meetings membership movements neighbourhood networks norms objectives officials operation opportunity organisations particular partnership perspective political position possible poverty practice Press professional programme public participation questions range reflected relation relationships representation representative residents responsible result role rules service users shape significant social social movements spaces specific stakeholder studies suggests Sure understand values views voice voluntary women's young youth