Citizen participation and neighbourhood governance : analysing democratic practice
By: FARRELLY, Michael
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ArticlePublisher: Oxfordshire : Routledge, August 2009Local Government Studies 35, 4, p. 387-400Abstract: From the late 1900s the New Labour government implemented changes to local governmet and, within the context of a discourse of 'democratic renewal', also introduced neighbourhood-based participatory Forums. In this paper, a framework is set out for analysing the democratic effectiveness of Area Forums. This framework sees Area Forums as novel social practice entailing interaction and assesses them against normative characteristics for an affective democratic public shpere; the analysis is applied to a case study of Area Forums in a small English city and finds them lacking in this respect. Aspects of Area Forums may even present barriers to effective participation.
From the late 1900s the New Labour government implemented changes to local governmet and, within the context of a discourse of 'democratic renewal', also introduced neighbourhood-based participatory Forums. In this paper, a framework is set out for analysing the democratic effectiveness of Area Forums. This framework sees Area Forums as novel social practice entailing interaction and assesses them against normative characteristics for an affective democratic public shpere; the analysis is applied to a case study of Area Forums in a small English city and finds them lacking in this respect. Aspects of Area Forums may even present barriers to effective participation.
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