Making Participation Work When Interests Conflict: Moving from Facilitating Dialogue and Moderating Debate to Mediating Negotiations

Abstract

This article uses a public management controversy in California to show how planners who work with contentious publics can learn from skillful mediators. Citizen participation often produces more heat than light, since conflict often yields little new understanding or dialogue, and even less negotiated agreement on public action. Yet skillful mediation may move beyond either dialogue or debate to craft mutually beneficial public agreements among contentious stakeholders. Mediated participation techniques can redirect conflict into joint inquiry, explore options rather than escalate demands, and achieve practical ends that will serve diverse interests.