Substantive Participation: A Model of Public Participation that Works for Citizens and Administrators

Abstract

Decision-makers and affected parties engaged in solving contemporary governmental problems are recognizing that traditional decision-making strategies are insufficient. A participatory democracy approach to public participation has been offered as a potential solution to these problems; however, a more sophisticated understanding of this approach is needed. This study defines a more substantive brand of public participation, identifies barriers to its implementation, and provides recommendations for implementation. Models of substantive participation should empower and educate all stakeholders, reeducate public administrators, and establish new administrative structures and processes. These objectives as well as a discussion of particular barriers to substantive participation are outlined.

Keywords:

• substantive public participation
• participatory democracy
• community economic development
• brownfields redevelopment

Notes

¹ The BFI did offer childcare, but some stakeholders were either unaware of it or disregarded it. Furthermore, in discussions of other public participation opportunities, stakeholders mentioned a lack of childcare.

² Dot voting is a way to prioritize items that need to be addressed. Participants vote on their favorite options using a limited number of stickers or similar labeling method, such as marks with a pen. This approach is more accurately described as cumulative voting. If participants are given more than one dot, the process allows them to identify more than one item as important. Also, more dots allow participants to allot some or all dots to one item, further indicating the importance of a particular item (Wollrab, 2002).