Oleksandra Keudel proposes a novel explanation for why some local governments in hybrid regimes enable citizen participation while others restrict it. She argues that mechanisms for citizen participation are by-products of political dynamics of informal business-political (patronal) networks that seek domination over local governments. Against the backdrop of either competition or coordination between patronal networks in their localities, municipal leaders cherry-pick citizen participation mechanisms as a tactic to sustain their own access to resources and functions of local governments. This argument is based on an in-depth comparative analysis of patronal network arrangements and the adoption of citizen participation mechanisms in five urban municipalities in Ukraine during 2015-2019: Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Lviv, and Odesa. Fifty-seven interviews with citizen participation experts, local politicians and officials, representatives of civil society and the media, as well as utilization of secondary analytical sources, official government data, and media reports provide a rich basis for an investigation of context-specific choices of municipal leaders that result in varying mechanisms for citizen participation.
Drawing on fundamental ideas about the relationship of citizens to the public sphere, Richard C Box presents a model of `citizen governance'. Recognizing the challenges in the community governance setting, he advocates rethinking the structure of local government and the roles of citizens, elected officials and public professionals in the twenty-first century. His model shifts a large part of the responsibility for local public policy from the professional and the elected official to the citizen. Citizens take part directly in creating and implementing policy, elected officials coordinate the policy process, and public professionnals facilitate citizen discourse, offering the knowledge of public practice needed for successful `citizen gover
Employing policy feedback theory to a series of local government programs, Elaine B. Sharp shows that these programs do have consequences with respect to citizens' political participation. With this clear-eyed analysis, Sharp finds that local governments' social program activities actually dampen participation of the have-nots, while cities' development programs reinforce the political involvement of already-privileged business interests.
As you journey into the realm of local government, it is crucial to first understand the intricate structure and multifaceted functions that shape the foundation of community governance. Through a comprehensive exploration, we will shed light on the mechanisms of local government, emphasizing the importance of citizen participation and the impact it has on shaping the local landscape. Local government refers to the administrative body responsible for governing a specific geographic area, typically a municipality, town, city, or county. This form of governance is essential for addressing the unique needs and concerns of the local community and plays a critical role in shaping public policies and services at the grassroots level. The essence of local government lies in its mandate to oversee the affairs of a specific locality, ensuring the effective delivery of public services, maintaining infrastructure, and addressing the diverse needs of the community. It serves as the primary link between the government and the citizens, fostering direct engagement and representation at the local level. Local government encompasses a wide array of functions, including but not limited to urban planning, public safety, waste management, public health, education, and social services. These functions are designed to cater to the unique needs of the local population, promoting the well-being and prosperity of the community. The concept of local governance dates back to ancient civilizations, where communities established systems of self-governance to address local issues and maintain order. Over time, the evolution of local government has been shaped by cultural, historical, and political influences, leading to diverse models of governance across different regions and periods. Within the broader framework of governance, local government occupies a pivotal position, serving as the closest point of contact between the government and the citizens. It embodies the principles of subsidiarity, emphasizing the decentralization of power and decision-making to ensure that local issues are addressed with greater responsiveness and relevance. The impact of local government is palpable in various aspects of daily life. From the maintenance of public infrastructure such as roads and parks to the provision of essential services like water supply and waste management, local government plays a fundamental role in shaping the quality of life within a community. Furthermore, local governments often collaborate with community organizations and businesses to foster economic development and cultural enrichment, contributing to the overall vibrancy of the local area. One common misconception about local government is that its influence is limited to mundane administrative tasks. In reality, local government wields significant authority in decision-making processes that directly impact the lives of residents. Understanding and actively participating in local government is crucial for safeguarding the collective interests and well-being of the community. As you assimilate the essence of local government, it becomes evident that it is not merely a bureaucratic entity but a dynamic force that shapes the local environment and empowers citizens to contribute to the betterment of their community.
Citizen Participation in the Age of Contracting is based on a simple premise: in democracies, power originates with citizens. While citizen participation in government remains a central tenet of democracy, public service delivery structures are considerably more complex today than they were fifty years ago. Today, governments contract with private organizations to deliver a wide array of services. Yet, we know very little about how citizens influence government decisions and policies in the "hollow state." Based on nearly 100 interviews with public and private managers, our findings about the state of citizen participation in contract governance are somewhat disheartening. Public and private organizations engaged citizens in a number of ways. However, most of their efforts failed to shift the power structure in communities and did not give citizens a chance to fundamentally shape local priorities and programs. Instead, elected officials and professional staff largely maintained control over significant policy and administrative decisions. Widespread, but narrow in their forms and impact, the participation practices we uncovered did not live up to the ideals of democracy and self-governance. Citizen Participation in the Age of Contracting is suitable for those who study public administration, as well as in other closely related fields such as nonprofit management and organizational behavior.
Today's communities—whether they are currently strong, or struggling to survive—face difficult challenges if they want to be tomorrow's healthy, vibrant communities. The challenge for leaders and citizens of modern communities is not just to solve specific problems today. Their real challenge is to keep learning from their experience so they can keep improving their communities tomorrow. Results That Matter will provide a new governance framework for using valuable tools of community improvement—especially performance measurement and citizen engagement—to empower communities to achieve the outcomes their citizens most desire. Government and nonprofit managers will learn how to combine these tools in new ways, not only to achieve one-time improvement of their organizations and communities, but to foster continual community renewal and improvement. The benefits and practicality of the framework and related practices will be reinforced by case examples from 25 communities across the country. The book will offer "how to" guidance to public and nonprofit managers, including promising practices for effective communities, and new roles for citizens, community leaders, and managers.
It feels like politics counts more today than it ever has. At the same time, people are frustrated by “the mess in Washington” or think “I can’t make a difference.” Local Politics Matters shows a way out: a chance for everyday people to feed their hunger for political action while having a positive impact. Richard Meagher, a professor of political science, takes the knowledge that scholars have gathered from half a century of studying local politics, and translates it into clear action steps for citizens. In a time where people are seeing how important their state and local governments are on matters of policing, public health, and housing, Local Politics Matters is a book for readers who want to make a difference. Local Politics Matters: • Explains local government. There are over 90,000 local governments in America. Do you have a “strong mayor” or “council-mayor” system of government? Who sits on your “board of supervisors”? What the heck is a “selectman”?! • Shows why you should care. Local politics offers access—officials are literally the people in your neighborhood—and impact: you can make a difference. • Lays out what to do. In local politics, sometimes there are right answers. The book explores six issues where only one path makes sense, and then follows up with specific steps to get involved.
In an era when government seems remote and difficult to approach, participatory democracy may seem a hopelessly romantic notion. Yet nothing is more crucial to the future of American democracy than to develop some way of spurring greater citizen participation. In this important book, Jeffrey Berry, Ken Portney, and Ken Thompson examine cities that have created systems of neighborhood government and incorporated citizens in public policymaking. Through careful research and analysis, the authors find that neighborhood based participation is the key to revitalizing American democracy. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy provides a thorough examination of five cities with strong citizen participation programs--Birmingham, Dayton, Portland, St. Paul, and San Antonio. In each city, the authors explore whether neighborhood associations encourage more people to participate; whether these associations are able to promote policy responsiveness on the art of local governments; and whether participation in these associations increases the capacity of people to take part in government. Finally, the authors outline the steps that can be taken to increase political participation in urban America. Berry, Portney, and Thomson show that citizens in participatory programs are able to get their issues on the public agenda and develop a stronger sense of community, greater trust in government officials, and more confidence in the political system. From a rigorous evaluation of surveys and interviews with thousands of citizens and policymakers, the authors also find that central governments in these cities are highly responsive to their neighborhoods and that less conflict exists among citizens and policymakers. The authors assert that these programs can provide a blueprint for major reform in cities across the country. They outline the components for successful participation programs and offer recommendations for those who want to get involved. They demonstrate that participatio
