The Routledge handbook of international local government

The major aim of local government is to maintain a well-established system where councils use their official power, roles, and responsibilities to work together for good order and good governance of their municipal districts. As part of their duties, local governments are expected to work toward improving social, economic, and environmental sustainability for the well-being of their citizens. In this respect, effective local governments provide overall quality standards of life for the people who live in their districts. Citizen participation in local government is significant for the governance efficiency and social welfare. In this paper, participation of citizen in local governments in Kyrgyzstan is investigated. Kyrgyzstan is a post-Soviet country where local government bodies appeared after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. The role of local governments is enormous in increasing social welfare add democracy. Along with this, citizens’ perception of the efficiency of public services, local governance, and trust in local governance institutions is analyzed based on the survey “Life in Kyrgyzstan (LIK)” consisting of more than 7,000 individuals in Kyrgyzstan, conducted in 2019. The results of the logit model revealed that general trust in the community, employment status of citizens, and accessibility of the information about local government positively affect trust in local government. At the same time, unemployment being more informed about the activities of local government, trying to influence the local budget process, and participation in local voting decreases trust in local government in Kyrgyzstan.

Jeffrey Hahn examines the degree to which citizens who are elected to local government in the USSR can successfully represent the interests of those who elected them. More specifically, how effectively do the mechanisms available for citizen participation in local government work in practice? What can elected deputies do to respond to the expressed needs and preferences of their constituents? Basing his conclusions on interviews with local deputies, observations of local soviets at work, and the analysis of a wide range of primary source material, the author finds that Soviet citizens do have some chances to participate meaningfully in local government and that a basis exists for the continued expansion of such participation. The elected deputy can and occasionally does play an active role as an ombudsman for those who choose to use opportunities for citizen input. Soviet Grassroots not only contributes to our empirical knowledge of political participation in the USSR but also provides a basis for speculation about the nature of political change in the Soviet system. If opportunities for effective participation in local government do exist, and they can be shown to have grown over time, then one precondition for the emergence of a civic culture in Soviet society already exists. Originally published in 1988. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

ABSTRACTThe well-established importance of citizen participation in local and community governance raises a number of problems, foremost of which has been the reduced level of citizens’ involvement and engagement in developing countries. Our study aims at exploring the factors that impact citizen participation in two local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines. We propose the models of LGU participation and regular attendance in meetings based on the regression results of our study and present policy implications and insights essential in designing strategies for a higher level of LGU constituents’ attendance in meetings and participation in local governance matters.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) suggests that local government, as the level of government closest to the people, has an important role to play in facilitating opportunities for local citizens to take action on local sustainability issues (ICLEI 1997). However, it is argued that citizens and community groups will require support from local governments to be able to participate effectively. Such a capacity building role for local governments has not yet been well articulated (Cuthill 2003b, 2001; Gaventa 2001; Blaxter 2003; Wallis and Dollery 2002). Capacity building is an ambiguous concept both in its conceptualisation and in implementation (Eade 1997). Epstein et al. (2000:2) argue that ‘it is difficult to point to a widely accepted ‘good practices framework’ either for citizens or for those attempting to engage citizens’. Nevertheless, while recent literature suggests some distinct themes that might contribute to such a framework (Cavaye 1999; Eade 1997; Jackson 2001; Kaplan 1997; Lowndes and Wilson 2001; Lyons et al. 2001), little work has been undertaken to synthesise these themes within a capacity building framework. This article presents a synthesis of research findings drawn from a pilot study and five applied research projects focusing on the concepts and processes which underpin the operationalisation of citizen participation in local governance. However, it does not re-visit in any detail the empirical research methods and findings from these previous studies. Rather, the approach taken in this paper is heuristic in that it draws on inductive reasoning from past experience. Readers are invited to explore in more detail, through the cited literature, results from these previous studies. The research program was completed over a three year period from 1999 to 2002. The guiding question for this research asked, How can local governments enhance the capacity of citizens to take informed action for a sustainable local community? This guiding question was explored through the pursuit of three objectives. These were first, to identify and analyse what is required by communities to enable them to take informed action for a sustainable local community, second, to explore the role that citizen participation in local governance plays in working towards a sustainable local community; and third, to identify, analyse and implement institutional requirements within local government that will support and facilitate citizen participation in local governance. The pilot study (Cuthill 2002a) and subsequently, five applied research projects were undertaken to explore these objectives (Cuthill 2004, 2003a, 2002b, 2001, Cuthill et al. 2004). These projects adopted an action research approach working with citizens, local community groups and local government, to test capacity building processes that might facilitate citizen participation in local governance. Building on the results from the pilot study, applied research and the literature reviewed for

Globally, ICT use is considered vital for citizen participation in local governance. However, the impacts of ICT use on citizen participation in local governance of developing countries like Tanzania remain underexplored. We examined the influence of ICT on citizen participation in Tanzania’s local governance, utilising data from 645 respondents across 18 Local Government Authorities (LGAs) of Tanzania Lake Zone regions. The results of the Structural Equation Model (SEM) show that citizen participation is significantly influenced by ICT literacy (β = 0.13, p < 0.0001) and internet connectivity accessibility (β = 0.138, p < 0.0001). Use of e-government is not statistically related to citizen participation (β = 0.081, p = 0.106). The paper contributes to the literature by looking at how ICT literacy, internet connectivity and accessibility, and e-government shape citizen participation in local governance. It unlocks the practical ways to foster greater citizen participation in local governance through ICT.

This article considers the recent emphasis on the importance and value of citizen participation, involvement, and engagement in local government and how active participation extends to public budgeting. The inclusion of citizen participation in local government budget processes challenges the traditional budget discourse between managers and representatives. Active citizen participation provides valuable comments and insight as well as complexity and challenges to administrative processes. This article discusses the themes, opportunities, techniques and strategies developed in this symposium to expand citizen participation in public budgeting. Continued discussion and innovation in active citizen participation in budgeting is encouraged.

This study sought to examine the extent to which decentralisation efforts have affected citizen participation in local governance in Kenya. A survey research design that integrated a mixed-method approach was employed to collect data. The study used Krejcie and Morgan's table to select a sample size of 371 respondents from four counties for the questionnaire instrument. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 16 interview respondents, including critical institutions and organisations in the field. The findings revealed that decentralisation influences citizen participation in local governance. 77.3% of the respondents agreed that decentralisation had promoted political entrepreneurship, while 75% contended that decentralisation had influenced citizen participation in developing policies and legislation. Moreover, 57.2% of the respondents felt that citizen participation in decentralised policy-making was high, while 69% were satisfied that decentralisation had made it possible for citizens to participate in county budgeting. However, only 49% approved the effectiveness of decentralisation in promoting citizen participation in promoting participatory budgeting and planning process. Therefore, the study recommends that the national and county governments put in place measures to safeguard the independence of the counties in realising the objective of citizen participation in local governance.

In most African countries, political liberation was supported by spontaneous people’s movements and various constellations of civil society. The post-independent era witnessed the introduction of a one-party system, which fundamentally curtailed these freedoms which were at the centre of the decolonial debate in Africa. The liberal market ideology that pervaded economic and political spaces after 1990 heralded alternatives for civil society to self-organize for political change in the continent. In the Economic Commission for Central African States (ECCAS), the legislative framework for citizen participation in local governance processes and structures encountered steep resistance from political elites. However, exogenous factors, together with home-grown citizen initiatives to advance the well-being of the people, emerged. In post-independent Cameroon, citizen participation in local governance processes was shaped by the rigid political and, subsequently, economic systems that the country experienced. With the demise of the bipolar World, people fashioned different places of engagement through civil society spaces where expectations and conceptions of civic involvement were developed and articulated. This policy paper analyses the regulatory framework for civil society participation in local governance in the ECCAS sub-region. It also examines citizen participation in local governance processes and structures in Cameroon. The paper identifies key challenges inhibiting citizens from freely engaging in civic activities in the country and presents some policy directions ECCAS and the state of Cameroon need to take to facilitate the effective involvement of citizens in the associational life of the sub-region and of Cameroon.

Citizens can participate in government and politics in a variety of ways. This brief entry examines what scholars have learned about citizen participation in local government and politics. It focus on four forms of political participation in particular: voting; joining interest groups; joining political parties; and contacting local government officials. While political scientists and scholars of public administration have learned a great deal about citizen participation in local government and politics, we are far from a complete understanding of the phenomenon.

Reform to establish a democratic, citizen-centered government is an important orientation in the world and in Vietnam today. For Vietnam, how to promote and strengthen democratic governance must be one of the most crucial issues in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Based on the theoretical framework and survey results, this study evaluates citizen participation in local governance in Vietnam on seven main dimensions, including: (i) Transparency aims to ensure citizens’ right to know; (ii) Participation in elections; (iii) Outlining of policy initiatives; (iv) Policy discussion, social criticism and referendums; (v) Voluntary contributions and cooperation with the government in public-service delivery; (vi) Social self-governance; (vii) Supervision of the social realm. Research shows that the dominance of local government is very evident in the process of citizen participation. The policy implications for countries in transition like Vietnam are that, in order to increase citizen participation in local governance, the openness of local government should be enhanced. Of course, doing this well needs a certain social basis.

The objective of this chapter is to provide an initial assessment of Facebook use by Western European municipalities considering two aspects: citizens’ engagement and municipalities’ activity. The sample for this study comprises the 15 earliest member countries of the EU represented by the five largest cities of each. Thus, data on 75 local governments are employed to test the following research questions: (1) How are Western European municipalities using Facebook? and (2) How are citizens engaging with their local government by using Facebook? In order to answer these questions, a set of metrics will be used that can help governments interpret and understand their impact in the use of social media. The answers to these questions will help to determine whether the use of social media is indeed increasing citizen participation in local governance. Results show that the use of Facebook by some of the biggest Western European local governments has become commonplace. Thus, the availability of a Facebook page is confirmed as a symbol of modernity and responsiveness, which may be perceived as particularly necessary for political legitimacy, especially in times of crisis. The audiences of the official Facebook pages of Western European municipalities are rather high. But a high number of fans does not automatically mean an engaged audience and citizen engagement, in general, is still low. Therefore, these findings suggest that the interest is limited on the part of citizens in terms of engaging in conversations with local governments.

Citizen participation refers to the ability of citizens to influence political decisions that impact their lives, forming a core aspect of democracy. While some argue that citizens lack the time, information, and motivation to engage in every public sector decision, others suggest that increased participation fosters knowledge, expertise, and community engagement. The role of public administrators in this process remains debated. However, with technological and social changes, new participation mechanisms have emerged. In particular, the rise of Information and Communication Technologies in the 2000s has transformed interactions between individuals, organizations, and governments, introducing concepts such as electronic participation. This study examines electronic citizen participation in local governments by presenting a theoretical framework, explaining participation in local governance, and analyzing practical examples. Finally, the benefits and challenges of citizen participation in local governance are evaluated.

Local governance is characterized by the interaction between government agencies and people in the local social management process, in which people are encouraged to actively play a part in government management activities as regulated by laws. This study addresses the people's rights to directly and indirectly participate in local governance activities in Vietnam. A survey of 360 people from 4 localities representing three regions of Vietnam, including Thai Binh province, Hung Yen province (Northern region), Quang Binh province (Central region), Ca Mau province (Northern region) was conducted to evaluate citizen participation in governance activities of commune-level authorities. The results show that the citizen participation in local governance activities do exist, but are limited to the direct participation. To some extent, the people also have rights to self-determine local issues on infrastructure construction and public welfare projects with their own contributions; however, their self-development of programs and projects and proposals to local authorities for implementation has not been clearly demonstrated. These findings suggest expanding the people's rights to participate in local governance activities as innovations for the improvement local governance effectiveness.

Citizen participation has been largely considered as an important objective of improving democracy and government decision-making in Vietnam recently. Based on the dataset of the Public Administration Performance Index Survey data (PAPI), Vietnamese women tend to actively participate in local government rather than men do. Hence, this study aims to explore distinct factors affect gender differences of citizen participation in local government in Vietnam. Applying qualitative approach through in-depth interview, besides objective factors such as political institutions, policy environment, and social networking, this article finds out some subjective major factors influencing citizen participation such as belief of people, educational level, age, sex, household conditions. Furthermore, this study also identifies three crucial reasons that leading to the differences of citizen participation at the local level between women and men in the context of Vietnam including political attitudes and interests, role in family, and the role of mass organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to unpack the extent to which citizen participation has been enhanced in local governance in Zimbabwe. The paper points out that citizen participation in local governance have proved to be of significance to all decision-making processes. Legislative provisions guiding citizen participation in local governance in Zimbabwe are prescribed in the Urban Councils&rsquo; Act of 1996 which seeks to involve citizens, through Residents Associations and other institutions. In addition, sections of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which provide for citizen participation were given in the paper. The author concluded that the commandist approach to governance, a mind-set of the liberation movement, has spoiled citizen participation in Zimbabwe.&nbsp; &nbsp; Key words: Democracy, local governance, participatory democracy, participatory space, third world states. &nbsp