Participation and Power: Reflections on the Role of Government in Land Use Planning and Rural Development

Autor/inn/en	Aarts, Noelle; Leeuwis, Cees
Titel	Participation and Power: Reflections on the Role of Government in Land Use Planning and Rural Development
Quelle	In: Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 16 (2010) 2, S.131-145 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1389-224X
Schlagwörter	Land Use; Citizen Participation; Foreign Countries; Rural Development; Natural Resources; Government Role; Reflection; Strategic Planning; Political Power; Political Influences; Case Studies; Literature Reviews; Policy Formation; Farm Management; Netherlands + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bodennutzung; 'Citizen participation; Citizens'' participation'; Bürgerbeteiligung; Ausland; Rural environment; Development; Ländliches Milieu; Entwicklung; Natural Ressource; Natürliche Ressource; Strategy; Planning; Strategie; Planung; Politische Macht; Political influence; Politischer Einfluss; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Politische Betätigung; Niederlande
Abstract	Purpose: To examine the role of power in interactive policymaking settings. Design/Methodology/Approach: A literature study is combined with four case studies relating to citizen participation in natural resource management and rural development in the Netherlands. Findings: Many of the identified problems and dilemmas of interactive policymaking and citizens' participation can be traced back to a lack of clarity about the role of government and power in the context of interactive policymaking. Reflection on the literature reveals that the notion of power is not well integrated in dominant conceptualizations and normative theories about participation. Empirical observations suggest that this results in a vacuum whereby participants, on the one hand, do not feel that they are really participating and, on the other, experience a lack of direction that runs counter to their perceptions about the role and responsibility of government. Steering and participatory models of organizing communication in policy processes need to be complemented with a network model that allows governments to better situate themselves amidst the dynamics of power and processes of self-organization. Practical Implications: A balance needs to be created between, on the one hand, accountability and responsibility, and, on the other, influence and discretion in order to think about and deal with power in interactive policymaking in a new way. Originality/Value: The value of the paper lies in its conceptual analysis (based on both theory and practice) of different ways power plays a role in interactive policymaking. A new network model for conceptualizing government communication is introduced. (Contains 3 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10