Learning from Urban Policy Diversity and Complexity: Evaluation and Knowledge Sharing in Urban Policy

Abstract

Several authors emphasise the actual diversity of urban policies and governance structures, as well as its experimental nature. On the one hand, diversity is viewed as a fundamental condition of actual urban policies. But, on the other hand, it is also viewed as a problem, which raises concerns about the coordination or integration of policies. This paper argues that evaluation procedures can be an active learning tool capable of promoting local strategic policy integration among diverse policies. An appropriate evaluation methodology, able to appraise both relational networks and normative frameworks (agendas, visions), is then proposed and tested, and its results are discussed.

Keywords:

• Evaluation
• integration
• learning processes
• urban policies

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-POCTI/AUR/47303/2002). The authors would like to thank Patsy Healey and the four anonymous referees for their valuable and constructive comments.

Notes

1. The other important features being “leadership style”, “regional fit”, “use of research” and “network structure”.

2. A detailed list of participants can be found in Breda-Vazquez et al. (2007)

3. During a workshop promoted by the Local Authority, in April 2008.

4. Passive, in the case of programmes that included surveys and/or limited public consultation mechanisms; active, in the case of programmes that included public presentations, and/or work sessions with local agents and/or negotiations with agents.

5. Strong, for example, when the programme's main developing agent had strong interactions with all the other responsible agents of the programme.

6. Low diversity, for example, if all the main actors of one programme were also present in other programmes.

7. Weak, for example, when the programme's main agent had no strong interactions with agents responsible for other programmes.