Bridging the Gap between Electoral and Participatory Democracy: The Electoral Motivations behind Participatory Budgeting in Chicago

2020 ◽  
pp. 107808742096487
Author(s):  
Laura Pin
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
Electoral Competition ◽  
Policy Transfer ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Elected Officials ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Embedded Process ◽  
Electoral Data

This paper explores the electoral dynamics of participatory budgeting projects in Chicago, IL, a topic neglected in the participatory democracy literature. Combining qualitative fieldwork with electoral data, I argue participatory budgeting is more likely to be adopted by elected officials who identify as progressive, face strong electoral competition, and are non-incumbents. These officials mobilize support for participatory budgeting to enhance their democratic legitimacy and build their constituency networks. In contrast to research focused on participatory budgeting as a non-partisan deliberative initiative, I attribute the uneven emergence of participatory budgeting projects in Chicago to the strategic electoral interests of aldermen, suggesting explanations of participatory budgeting focused on the drivers of the process should assign a greater role to electoral interests. More broadly, this research suggests approaching policy transfer as a contextually embedded process that precludes normative assumptions about particular policies absent a consideration of the institutional and social environment.

scholarly journals Modelos de democracia e espaços políticos: o caso da democracia participativa/Models of democracy and political spaces: the case of participatory democracy

2018 ◽  
pp. 126-146
Author(s):  
Daniel Abreu Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Political System ◽  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Political Space ◽  
Form Of Government ◽  
The World ◽  
Models Of Democracy ◽  
Democratic Political System

RESUMOO presente artigo tem como objetivo principal trazer o conceito de espaço político e sua relação com o sistema político democrático, analisando, especificamente, o caso dos Conselhos Municipais e o modelo da democracia participativa. A partir dessa discussão teórico-conceitual, busca-se lançar luz, através de uma perspectiva geográfica, sobre a forma de governo que, ao mesmo tempo em que se expande no mundo, também tem sua legitimidade questionada. A partir de pesquisa empírica desenvolvida nos Conselhos Municipais do Rio de Janeiro entre os anos de 2015-2016, o artigo analisa especificamente o caso dos Conselhos Tutelares e questiona a legitimidade democrática dessas novas instituições brasileiras.Palavras-chave: espaço político, democracia participativa, Conselhos Municipais, Conselhos Tutelares, Rio de Janeiro. ABSTRACTThe main objective of this article is to bring the concept of political space and its relation to the democratic political system, specifically analyzing the case of Municipal Councils and the model of participatory democracy. From this theoretical-conceptual discussion, we seek to highligh, through a geographical perspective, the form of government that, at the same time it expands in the world, also it has its legitimacy questioned. Based on empirical research developed in the Municipal Councils of Rio de Janeiro between the years 2015-2016, the article specifically analyzes the case of the Tutelary Councils and the democratic legitimacy of these new Brazilian institutions.Keywords: political space, participatory democracy, Municipal Councils, Tutelary Councils, Rio de Janeiro.

Participatory Budgeting

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henriette I. Weber ◽  
Sebastian Vogt ◽  
Lisa-Marie Eberz-Weber ◽  
Holger Steinmetz ◽  
Sascha A. Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Participation Process ◽  
Political Decision Making

Consultative participation of citizens in political decision-making processes has been increasing in order to facilitate democratic legitimacy and responsiveness. Consequently, participatory budgets have been established as a 'best practice' for consultative participation of citizens in political decision-making processes. The authors compare participatory budgets of 31 German municipalities. An analysis of differences between successfully and unsuccessfully rated participatory budgeting processes provides informative insights and allows for in-depth comparison on a municipal level. The authors show that external service providers and electronic participation channels significantly increase the number of participatory citizens and are positively connected with pursued objectives of dialog processes and public responsiveness as well as efficient and effective decisions. Furthermore, the acceptance of all participants proved to be a key factor for a successful public participation process. The authors' analysis opens up new starting points for further research.

scholarly journals Beyond Figures and Numbers Participatory Budgeting as a Leverage for Citizen Identity and Attachment to Place

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-40
Author(s):  
Justyna Anders-Morawska ◽  
Marta Hereźniak
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Place Attachment ◽  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
Place Identity ◽  
Development Model ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Solid Foundation

The purpose of the paper is to examine the potential of participatory budgeting (PB) for the formation of citizen identity and attachment to the place in terms of individual, territorial and thematic focus. In the theoretical discussion, the authors analyse the concepts of place attachment, social identity and their influence on civic participation. The authors propose a conceptual framework for the analysis of relationships between PB, place attachment, and social identity. In the case of the community development model of PB, place attachment should lead to the citizens’ increased inclination to participate. In the case of participatory democracy model of PB citizen participation can lead to a stronger place attachment. The con­ceptual framework presented in the paper requires empirical confirmation. Further research on the subject should revolve around the influence of place attachment on the formation of social identity and vice versa by application of the discussed models of PB. The placemakers should take into account literature-based evidence that advisory models of PB do not reinforce place identity. The places that apply one of the transition models should consider the evolution of their PB policies towards either community development model or participatory democracy model. By review of diverse theoretical approaches on place identity and local participation, the paper creates a solid foundation for further analysis of the relationships between the applica­tion of PB and the development of civic identity and place attachment.

scholarly journals Is the city the appropriate scale for participatory democracy? Some answers from Brazil

Politik ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sveinung Legard
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
State Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Public Spheres ◽  
Community Associations ◽  
Participatory Processes ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The City

This study compares participatory budgeting at the city and state level in Brazil. It shows that, that even though the practice of participatory budgeting more closely resembles the ideals of participatory democracy at the city level, this does not mean that participatory democracy is impossible at larger scales. To the contrary, the difference between participatory budgeting at the city and state level is more a question of gradations than vast leaps of democratic merit. Furthermore, some of the features that are considered unique to the city – neighborhood-based community associations that mobilize and discuss with citizens in local public spheres – are also important in participatory budgeting at the state level. The experiences of participatory budgeting at the city and state level in Brazil suggest that it is wrong to overemphasize the uniqueness of the city and also to undervalue the special role the city might play in larger participatory processes.

Participatory Budgeting

2019 ◽  
pp. 1087-1107
Author(s):  
Henriette I. Weber ◽  
Sebastian Vogt ◽  
Lisa-Marie Eberz-Weber ◽  
Holger Steinmetz ◽  
Sascha A. Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Participation Process ◽  
Political Decision Making

Consultative participation of citizens in political decision-making processes has been increasing in order to facilitate democratic legitimacy and responsiveness. Consequently, participatory budgets have been established as a 'best practice' for consultative participation of citizens in political decision-making processes. The authors compare participatory budgets of 31 German municipalities. An analysis of differences between successfully and unsuccessfully rated participatory budgeting processes provides informative insights and allows for in-depth comparison on a municipal level. The authors show that external service providers and electronic participation channels significantly increase the number of participatory citizens and are positively connected with pursued objectives of dialog processes and public responsiveness as well as efficient and effective decisions. Furthermore, the acceptance of all participants proved to be a key factor for a successful public participation process. The authors' analysis opens up new starting points for further research.

scholarly journals Participatory Budgeting in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Aimee L. Franklin ◽  
Carol Ebdon
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Government Accountability ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Marginalized Groups

Participatory budgeting has been adopted and adapted by governments around the world. Existing literature points to a variety of desired outcomes from these efforts, but does not clearly distinguish the impacts on individuals, groups, and society. This study uses the case of the Philippines to explore the differences in impacts of participatory budgeting within and across the three levels. Reforms in the Philippines were similar to efforts in other countries, but there were adaptations, including a national mandate for the decentralization of participatory budgeting to local governments and the required representation of civil society organizations in local resource allocation processes. Some gains in individual education and efficacy, representation of marginalized groups and social justice, and government accountability were seen in the Philippines, but they seem to be idiosyncratic to the local context. Civil society and democratic legitimacy advances, though, were weaker, at least partly due to challenges in involving third-party intermediaries in the process, and continued issues with elitism and corruption. Like other participatory budgeting cases, the outcomes have not been uniform, and transitions in national leadership hinder institutionalization.

scholarly journals Participatory Democracy in Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Terence Wood
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Democracy ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Municipal Services ◽  
Participatory Budgeting ◽  
Porto Alegre ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Participatory Budget ◽  
Belo Horizonte

<p>Participatory budgeting is a form of Participatory Democracy that is being increasinglyused in Brazilian cities. This dissertation describes research conducted on the participatorybudgets of two Brazilian cities, Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte. The research wasundertaken with the overall aim of examining and comparing the participatory budgetingexperiences in these two cities and then using this examination to identify the key localvariables that can influence the outcomes of participatory budgets. The research made useof both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data used the result of 22 semistructuredinterviews that took place in April and May 2004, and the secondary data wasthe already existing body of literature on participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre and BeloHorizonte. The key findings of this research are that participatory budgeting has had somesignificant successes in both Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte. At the same time thoughthe participatory budgets in Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte have encountered problemsthat have limited their abilities to produce results. There are also several areas where theoutcomes of participatory budgeting are, at present, unclear. Some of the outcomes of theparticipatory budgets in Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte are very similar yet there weredifferences in the processes’ results. Two key variables are identified in the analysis: theability of the participatory budget to produce tangible results and the degree of need that acity’s populace has for municipal services. Associated with these key variables are a rangeof secondary variables that also influence the outcomes of participatory budgets.</p>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document