Democratizing the Administrative State: Connecting Neighborhood Councils and City Agencies

Abstract

Citizen participation in government decision making, especially at the local level, has received heightened attention with regard to its promise for improved governance. The overarching administrative ethos of the administrative state creates barriers to citizen participation in governance. Developing and nurturing citizen participation in the presence of the administrative state is a significant challenge. Drawing on the literary tradition of public engagement and learning, this article models a developmental strategy of participation that offers one avenue for achieving meaningful partnerships between city agencies and neighborhood councils in a metropolitan environment. We present a model of citizen participation that brings neighborhood councils and city agencies together in a collaborative partnership. This model is based on the literature on citizen participation, which focuses on the significance of interactive processes in building trust among participants and creating mutual understanding and agreement.

Administrators as Deliberative Representatives: A Revised Public Service Role

“…If we accept that the loop model of democracy is failing in its representative and representation ideals, then we acknowledge the need for alternative forms of interaction between unelected administrators and citizens who demand and receive services from their government. (Kathi & Cooper, 2005;Cooper, Bryer, & Meek 2008a;Bryer, 2009). Officials from a city agency were brought together with representatives from Los Angeles neighborhood councils.…”

The Role of the Information Society in Promoting a Better and a More Democratic Governance

“…Recently, there has been an increased interest in emphasizing the democratic aspect of the New Governance (Bingham, Nabatchi, & Balogh, 2005;Cooper, Bryer, & Meek, 2006;Kathi & Cooper, 2005;Klijn & Skelcher, 2007;Nabatchi, 2010;Sørensen, 2002;Sørensen & Torfing, 2003). Several scholars have acknowledged the fact that the shift from bureaucratic hierarchies to governance networks may challenge the traditional image of liberal democracy, suggesting the reconceptualization and reformulation of the basic concepts of democracy to make them fit the new reality (Boyte, 2005;O'Toole, 1997b;Sørensen, 2002;Sørensen & Torfing, 2003).…”

“…Other scholars, however, conceive of the collaborative governance as -the new paradigm for governing in democratic systems‖ (Emerson, Nabatchi, & Balogh, 2011, p. 3; also see Frederickson, 1991;Jun, 2002;Kettl, 2002;Osborne, 2006), highlighting its contribution to the development of social capital and to the enhancement of citizen participation (Bingham, Nabatchi, & O'Leary, 2005;Boyte, 2005;Cooper, Bryer, & Meek, 2006;Hirst, 2000;Kathi & Cooper, 2005;Nabatchi, 2010;Sørensen, 2002). In this context, Bingham, Nabatchi, and O'Leary (2005) conceive of the citizenry as the other face of the new governance --the tool makers and tool users‖ (p. 547) -emphasizing the processes through which they get involved in the work of government.…”

“…In this sense, the concept of -deliberative democracy‖ with its emphasis on -government by information exchange and consent‖ (Hirst, 2000, p. 27) has been proposed as a solution to the problem of accountability (Kersbergen & Waarden, 2004;Sørensen, 2002;Sørensen & Torfing, 2003). Scholars have contended that deliberative democracy provides citizens and stakeholders with the opportunity to voice their needs and concerns, and allows for the development of more responsive, citizen-centered collaborative management systems, partnerships, and strategies (Cooper, Bryer, & Meek, 2006;Emerson, Nabatchi, & Balogh, 2011;Kathi & Cooper, 2005;Nabatchi, 2010).…”

Neighbourhood Regeneration at the Grassroots Participation: Incubators’ Co-Creative Process and System

“…Chaskin and Garg (1997), Chaskin (2003), Chaskin et al (2012), Hasanov and Beaumont (2016), Lepofsky andFraser (2003), andMartin (2004) consider the challenges to put into action urban initiatives from non-governmental actors. Edelenbos (2005), Healey (2006), Kathi and Cooper (2005), Smith (2010) examine the difficulties of making effective collaborations with local administrations or agencies to pledge the implementation.…”