Understanding institutional dynamics in participatory governance: how rules, practices and narratives combine to produce stability or diverge to create conditions for change

ABSTRACT

Participatory governance is institutionalised to the extent that it shapes the behaviour of decision-makers and citizens. Participation policies that do not change established behaviour have limited, if any, impact. But what are the mechanisms whereby participatory governance becomes institutionalised? Using a case study of Barcelona, the paper analyses the relationship between formal rules, informal practices and narratives. Drawing on 90 interviews, the paper argues that in the context of neoliberal austerity formal rules proved surprisingly resilient, but informal practices and narratives became increasingly dis-aligned as civil society actors developed innovative approaches and more insistent demands. These novel informal practices and narratives subsequently underpinned the renaissance in participatory governance associated with the 2015-2019 Barcelona en Comú government. The paper makes theoretical and practical contributions regarding the drivers of stability and change. While formal rules may endure over time, dynamism in participatory governance depends upon the relationship between rules, practices and narratives.

KEYWORDS:

• Participatory governance
• institutionalization
• Barcelona
• stability
• change

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The TRANSGOB project (Ref. No CSO2012-32817) was supported by the National Plan of R + D of the Government of Spain.

2. The research project “Collaborative Governance Under Austerity: An Eight-Case Comparative Study” (Ref. No. ES/L012898/1), led by Jonathan Davies with funding from UK Economic and Social Research Council.

3. Decidim Barcelona Statistics https://www.decidim.barcelona/.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council [Ref. No. ES/L012898/1]; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Ref. No CSO2012-32817,Ref. No. CSO2015-68314-P].

Notes on contributors

Ismael Blanco

Ismael Blanco is Associate Professor at Department of Political Science and Public Law, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). He is the Director of the Institute of Government and Public Policy (IGOP). His current research focuses on urban segregation, social innovation, and local governance. He has published extensively on these topics, both in English and Spanish. He is the co-editor of the book Barrios y Crisis. Crisis económica, segregación urbana e innovación social (together with Oriol Nel·lo).

Vivien Lowndes

Vivien Lowndes is Professor Emerita (Public Policy) at Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham, UK. Vivien has published extensively on local democracy and citizen participation. Theoretically, she is well known for her work on institutionalism and institutional change (Why Institutions Matter, with Mark Roberts). Vivien's current research looks at gender, policing and local governance. She is a former Pro Vice Chancellor for Research. 

Yunailis Salazar

Yunailis Salazar is PhD student in Politics, Policies and International Relations at the Institute of Government and Public Policies (IGOP UAB). Her thesis is focused on the new municipalism and the implementation of socially responsible public procurement in the Barcelona City Council. Her research experience has focused on urban governance, public administration, and the emergence of municipalist candidacies in the context of the crisis and austerity policies.