how can we involve the public in regional and local projects? 5 th european summit of regions and...

How can we involve the public in regional and local projects?

5th European Summit of Regions and citiesCopenhagen, March 22, 2012

Prof. Dr. Simon GuentnerHamburg University of Applied Sciences

variations of democracy

Direct democracy

Participative democracy

Representative democracy

• Town meeting/Forum• Citizen panel

• Participatory budgeting• Planning for Real

• Consensus conference• Charrette

• Future Search Conference• World Café

• ...

The Micropolitics of Participation

• Access and recruitment• Logistics, timing, duration• Style of communication, language• Function, power of body/exercise

The Democracy Cube

Source: Fung 2005

Participative governance – hopes and traps

HopesVoice of citizens leads to...•Better policies•broader ownership•Enhanced legitimation of decisions

TrapsImplementation often flawed by...•Efficiency Trap•Misrepresentation of interests•Oversimplification of debate and exclusion of minority interests•Domination of ‚common interest‘ and economic arguments

Issues to consider...

• Realistic expectations• Milieu/age/...specific communication and tools• Transparent and strong links to arenas/actors of

representative democracy• Emphasise the democratic value of participation over

instrumental issues• Take your time!

Thank you for your attention!

Contact:simon.guentner@haw-hamburg.de