Speaker
Description
In this context of systemic crises and the advance of neoliberal logic, citizen participation has become a central theme in urban agendas and political discourse (European Union, 2023; United Nations, 2015, 2017). However, its centrality reflects a tension: on the one hand, the instrumentalisation of participation as a tool for appeasement and legitimation of decisions shaped by market-driven interests; on the other, the emergence of practices that challenge the commodification of the city and open paths for a more inclusive and democratic urban governance rooted in the right to the city (Joy and Vogel, 2021). This tension underscores the complex interplay between participation as a mechanism of control and as an emancipatory tool for achieving systemic change (Holdo, 2024).
This work explores the contrast between government-led and citizen-led practices (della Porta and Felicetti, 2022) in democratic innovations (Smith, 2009) in urban governance, focusing on the interplay and compatibility between institutionalisation and experimentation. (Blanco et al., 2022). What are the limits of institutionalisation? To what extent does it disempower social movements, restrict creativity, or neutralise popular demands? Conversely, how can participatory frameworks address these challenges to guarantee rights, broaden access to decision-making, and embed participation as a structural element of urban governance (Jäntti et al., 2023)?
This study applies a theoretical and methodological framework developed by the authors to guide and analyse institutional design choices for democratic innovations. Through workshops and focus groups conducted in Portugal involving four distinct groups of stakeholders —academics, decision-makers, municipal technicians, and civil society— the variables proposed in the framework are discussed concerning participatory objectives. Workshops with academics will validate the framework's theoretical robustness, identify methodological gaps, and test its applicability to participatory contexts. Focus groups will engage decision-makers to explore the political impacts of institutional design choices on urban governance and accountability. Municipal technicians will assess the feasibility, resources demand, and administrative integration of participatory practices. Civil society representatives will reflect on how design choices address the needs and everyday experiences of communities.
Discussions will identify challenges and limits to institutionalising democratic innovations, considering power dynamics, institutional capacity, and stakeholder engagement. The results are expected to validate the framework as an analytical and strategic tool for promoting participatory governance towards the right to the city. Furthermore, paths will be identified for incorporating citizen participation into contemporary urban governance structures.
References
Blanco, I., Lowndes, V. and Salazar, Y. (2022), “Understanding institutional dynamics in participatory governance: how rules, practices and narratives combine to produce stability or diverge to create conditions for change”, Critical Policy Studies, Routledge, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 204–223.
European Union. (2023), “Comission Recomendation 2023/2836. Promoting the engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil society organisations in public policy-making processes”.
Holdo, M. (2024), Participatory Spaces Under Urban Capitalism, Participatory Spaces Under Urban Capitalism, Routledge, London | New York.
Jäntti, A., Paananen, H., Kork, A.A. and Kurkela, K. (2023), “Towards Interactive Governance: Embedding Citizen Participation in Local Government”, Administration and Society, Vol. 55 No. 8, pp. 1529–1554.
Joy, M. and Vogel, R.K. (2021), “Beyond Neoliberalism: A Policy Agenda for a Progressive City”, Urban Affairs Review, Vol. 57 No. 5, pp. 1372–1409.
della Porta, D. and Felicetti, A. (2022), “Innovating Democracy Against Democratic Stress in Europe: Social Movements and Democratic Experiments”, Representation, Vol. 58 No. 1, pp. 67–84.
Smith, G. (2009), Democratic Innovations: Designing Institutions for Citizen Participation, Theories of Institutional Design, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
United Nations. (2015), “Sustanaible Cities and Comunities”, available at: https://unric.org/pt/objetivo-11-cidades-e-comunidades-sustentaveis-2/.
United Nations. (2017), New Urban Agenda - Habitat III.
| Keywords | democratic innovations; participatory urban governance; institutionalisation; right to the city |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
