Citizen Participation Research Articles

Blockchain for building trust in genomic initiatives

AbstractThis commentary aims to share the current patient engagement context in genome initiatives within universal healthcare systems worldwide, focusing on the inclusivity of diverse population segments rather than just numerical metrics. It explores the relevance and potential replicability of these initiatives globally, questioning their efficacy in ensuring widespread citizen participation. Empirical evidence shows that hesitancy to opt into genome initiatives goes beyond demographic factors, with a significant portion of the population abstaining due to prevailing mistrust. Given the global aspiration for delivering precision healthcare and promoting a healthy lifestyle for all citizens, this paper investigates the multifaceted reasons behind this distrust. It underscores the need for policymakers to understand these reasons comprehensively and proposes a Blockchain‐based framework centered on trust‐building as a potential solution to enhance citizen engagement. The analysis of distrust factors and their impact on participation leads to the conclusion that decisive measures are necessary to improve the participatory landscape of genomic initiatives. The paper advocates for actions to enhance trust, thereby improving the current operational milieu of precision healthcare. The broader conclusion emphasizes the importance of trust‐building strategies in achieving the goal of fostering a healthy lifestyle for all citizens and provides a foundation for further development in this pioneering healthcare domain.

Strengthening Resilience: Social Responsibility and Citizen Participation in Local Governance

The concept of resilience has gained significant prominence across various disciplines, particularly in the context of regional development. Specifically, the Social Responsibility of Local Public Administrations (SRLPA) may play a significant role in fostering resilient territories. This study proposes a second-order model utilizing Structural Equation Modeling—Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to investigate the complex relationships between the SRLPA and citizen participation in municipal affairs. The proposed model comprises six dimensions for the SRLPA: good governance values, efficiency, transparency, economic issues, environmental concerns, and socio-labor matters. One of the primary contributions of this study is the development and operationalization of a scale designed to measure the construct of the SRLPA. Additionally, empirical analysis shows that the relationship between the SRLPA and citizen participation is indirect. Instead, SRLPA exerts its influence through two mediating variables: citizen connection with the municipality and the perceived bond with the local government. The findings suggest that to positively impact citizen participation, the SRLPA must strengthen relationships with citizens, thereby enhancing their engagement in municipal affairs.

Slum upgrading and participation: Insights from a marginalized neighbourhood in Buenos Aires

This paper rethinks participation in slum upgrading beyond a well-established dichotomy of “top-down” and “bottom-up” processes and instead proposes a relational and strategic approach to urban transformation. Based on qualitative research with a small informal settlement, Barrio Saldías, in Buenos Aires, that fell off the city government's agenda, this paper explores the role of participation in promoting upgrading from the margins. It argues that Saldías differs from instances of community-led upgrading due to the central role of party brokers and political representatives (especially from the local state) alongside residents, all of whom participate together in a political climate dominated by the discourses of citizen participation and slum upgrading. Rather than collapsing these experiences into the logic of clientelism, participation is centred as the articulatory logic based on a shared desire and commitment to transforming urban space, towards multiple political ends. Participatory upgrading in Saldías exceeds the narrow focus of project-centric approaches and draws on a wider trajectory of participation in Buenos Aires. It demonstrates this through an analysis of three moments of participatory upgrading in Saldías.

Commitment to Place as Motivation for Citizen-Based Watershed Collaboration: BIMBY Effect

A growing literature in citizen-based collaboration extols the many virtues of collaboration to address complex public problems. Little attention has been paid, however, to the underlying motivation for citizen participation. Drawn from three case studies of citizen-based environmental collaborations, this paper examines the motivations of citizens to engage in collaboration. The research suggests that a longstanding commitment to “place” is an important driver for collaboration. The findings of this paper can assist citizen-based environmental collaborative groups to identify ways to more effectively engage citizens in local collaborative efforts.

Influence of the transformation of the legal system of Ukraine on the development of the theory of the state and law

The article is devoted to the analysis of modern challenges for the theory of the state and law in the context of the development of the legal system of Ukraine. Starting with the introduction, the author emphasises the relevance of the topic and emphasises the need to consider these issues in the Ukrainian context. The theoretical part of the article deals with a historical overview of the state and law, in particular, their development in Ukraine. The author draws attention to the key aspects of the formation of the theoretical foundations that formed the basis of the country’s modern legal system. Modern trends in the development of the legal system of Ukraine are also considered. The author analyzes various aspects such as corruption, human rights and the implementation of reforms. The problems and challenges faced by the Ukrainian legal system are highlighted, and possible ways to overcome them are outlined. A separate part is devoted to the influence of globalisation on changes in the concepts of the state and law. The author considers the phenomenon of globalisation as a factor affecting the modern legal system of Ukraine and highlights its consequences and opportunities for further development. In addition, the article examines the role of the Constitution of Ukraine in the formation of the legal system. The author analyzes the basic principles of the state and law enshrined in the Constitution and their significance for the functioning of the country’s legal system. Attention is drawn to international experience in solving challenges for the theory of the state and law. The author conducts a comparative analysis of different countries, which allows to highlight the best practices and use them to improve the legal system of Ukraine. A separate aspect is the role of civil society in the formation of the legal system. The author emphasises the importance of active participation of citizens in the legal process and their influence on the development of the legal system. In the conclusion, the author sums up the research and highlights the main conclusions regarding modern challenges for the theory of the state and law in Ukraine. It is noted that the further development of the country’s legal system requires complex measures and systemic reforms, as well as the active implementation of best practices and experience of other countries.

Значение категории «земля» как отправная точка правового регулирования

The legally established meaning of land is the starting point not only for land law, but also for public policy in general. The modern meaning of land covers three aspects: land as a natural object, land as a natural resource and land as a real estate object. Ways to improve land legislation from the point of view of specifying the meaning of land are seen in ensuring the rational use and protection of land, the priority of protecting human life and health when making decisions on the use of land, and the participation of citizens in resolving issues related to the use of land in their place of residence. It is proposed to expand the meaning of land in the future by recognizing the emotional and moral connection of a person with the land as a value subject to protection, as well as regulating the rights of future generations in relation to the land.

Цифровизация местного самоуправления — «новая» демократия?

The article presents the author’s opinions on the impact of digital transformation of public administration in general and local government in particular on citizen participation in local community affairs. It is proposed to distinguish between “electronic democracy” and “electronic participation”, and the position is expressed that traditional and digital democracy have a common constitutional and legal nature, characterized by target and functional unity, but differ in technological methods of expressing will and communication. One of the key factors influencing the conditions for using digital technologies in the process of formation and activities of local government bodies is trust. Based on sociological research data, it was revealed that at the local level, ensuring trust has certain specifics, which are proposed to be interpreted through territorial identity.

Народный делиберативный конституционализм как коллективная мудрость: понятие и предназначение в российской и сравнительной конституционной юриспруденции

The article identifies the ideological sources of collective wisdom, the doctrinal and normative foundations of popular deliberative constitutionalism, some aspects of the inclusive constitutional paradigm, procedures, and technologies for the participation of citizens and civil society institutions in constitutional modernization and constitutional changes in the context of Russian and comparative experience. The article considers popular deliberative constitutionalism as a meta-concept that can be used to analyze prescriptive requirements and promising principles in the constitutional modernization of the state and society, forms and procedures for citizen participation in constitutional changes, processes of preparation and implementation of constitutional changes in the modern period. Popular constitutionalism in scientific works develops as a special doctrinal, normative, and procedural basis for the implementation of the principle of popular sovereignty, the constituent power of the people, the involvement of citizens and civil society institutions in the process of constitutional changes. The author concludes that constitutional collective wisdom in the information age arises as a result of the use of both analog and digital technologies, classical procedures for discussion and the use of aggregated preferences, and a combination of natural and artificial intelligence.

Collective Wisdom in Constitutional, Informational and Digital Dimensions: on the Concept and Nature of Popular Deliberative Constitutionalism for Public Law

The article discusses the scientific and intellectual origins of collective wisdom in the constitutional, information and digital dimensions, reveals the doctrinal approaches and normative foundations of popular deliberative constitutionalism, the development of an inclusive constitutional paradigm and its significance for the use of procedures and technologies for citizen participation, expert opinion and civil society institutions in the constitutional development, in social transformations, in constitutional changes brought to life by the needs of society and the state. Popular deliberative constitutionalism is identified in the article as a public legal meta-concept that explains the process and need for constitutional involvement of citizens. The author concludes that popular deliberative constitutionalism allows us to better understand the problems of implementing the principle of popular sovereignty in modern democratic states, create an optimal model and consider the forms of exercising the constituent power of the people when implementing constitutional changes. In the article, the author notes that the future of democratic constitutionalism is associated with the creation and use of collective intelligence technologies in the public legal sphere, which, in the context of the development of an algorithmic and information society, combine classical procedures for discussing constitutional issues and the use of aggregated preferences. The practical application of the achievements of natural and artificial intelligence is intended to discuss and resolve issues of public legal significance, is based on co-evolutionary development and leads to the emergence of mini-publics, civil assemblies, and constitutional crowdsourcing.

Deliberation through contestation: EU investments in cultural and artistic spaces beyond the EU

ABSTRACT The role of culture in democratization processes has increasingly been emphasized by the EU. Insisting on the value of culture for peaceful inter-community relations, the European Commission argues that cultural and artistic spaces can function as spaces for deliberation facilitating alternative engagement with politics through debate, education and free expression. The need for such spaces has become more urgent in a time in which democracies have come under pressure. This article examines how civil society actors in the Western Balkans create spaces of deliberation by engaging in EU funded cultural initiatives. In the projects that are being developed, civil society actors experiment with different forms of community-based management of resources and co-production, opening up new perspectives for social and political transformation. Their insistence to generate radical imagination through culture and arts and to create instances in which a different world can be prefigured has led to a boost of citizen participation in cultural projects which resulted in the emergence of ‘counter-public’, self-managed, post-Yugoslav spheres. In indirect, unexpected and contradictory ways, the EU funding schemes are both subject as well as facilitators of the discussions held at these spaces adding new dimensions to European democratization processes.

Valuing ecosystem services of community gardens in developing countries: a case study of Dezful City in Iran

Allotment (AGs) and community gardens (CGs) are types of urban gardens that provide diverse ecosystem services (ESs) such as climate regulation, beautiful landscapes, biodiversity and food security. Despite this, there are no AGs or CGs in many developing countries such as Iran. One of the main reasons for the lack of development of CGs in developing countries is the lack of proper understanding by policy-makers and citizens regarding the economic value of the ESs provided and the lack of disclosure of the benefits of its construction in urban areas. The purpose of this study is to analyse the preferences of citizens, to examine the existence of a potential market, to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for the creation and operation of CG services and to investigate the factors affecting residents’ WTP in Dezful, Iran. For this purpose, a choice experiment, based on the stated preferences valuation approach, was applied through interviews with 170 respondents living in Dezful urban area. The data were collected during the autumn of 2022 and analysed using conditional logit model. The results indicated that the responding citizens are willing to pay 4.57 USD per month to create CG and operate its ESs in Dezful. Amongst the attributes and ESs of the community garden, citizens valued cultural services the most, followed by provisioning services. In addition, the variables “age”, “being native”, “education”, “household expenditure level” and “awareness and recognition of CG ecosystem services” had a significant effect on WTP. According to the results, it is suggested to follow the policy of creating CGs with the participation of citizens instead of focusing only on the creation of urban green space with a government budget and heavy financial burden. CGs, while providing diverse ESs, can generate sustainable incomes for municipalities and accelerate the movement toward sustainable urban development.

Cyberactivism and Social and Political Participation Regarding the War in Ukraine: Analysis of Social Interactions in Spanish on Twitter

To evaluate and understand the dynamics of citizen participation in social networks concerning the war in Ukraine and delve into the phenomenon of cyberactivism, this study focuses on the conversation generated in Spanish around the conflict on Twitter. The research analyses 1,138,747 original tweets to investigate the general characteristics of the conversation, the user interaction patterns, and the creation and structure of communities and to determine the connecting factors. The study employs machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques via the Graphext data analytics tool. The conversation volume is very high, but the network of interactions is characterized by being unstructured and dominated by white noise, with disjointed interactions setting the tone of the conversation. Verified accounts and emotionality stand out as factors of connection and interconnection in the network. This case study highlights a form of social and political participation oriented towards visibility and information about the cause at a level of deliberation and debate that shows empathy and sympathy in a context close to slacktivism.

Implementation of the Plavon Program in Population Administration Services

Background: The increasing reliance on technology in public service delivery has led local governments to adopt e-government systems. Specific Background: This study explores the implementation of the PLAVON e-government program in a rural context, addressing the operationalization of such systems in local governance. Knowledge Gap: Existing research highlights e-government frameworks, yet the challenges and successes of community-level implementation remain underexplored. Aims: This research aims to analyze PLAVON's implementation, focusing on standard operating procedures (SOPs) and community engagement. Results: Findings reveal that structured SOPs enhance efficiency and transparency in public services, enabling self-service for citizens. Novelty: This study offers insights into the challenges and strategies of rural e-government implementation. Implications: Results underscore the importance of tailored bureaucratic practices and community involvement, providing valuable lessons for similar programs in rural areas. Highlights : Efficiency: Structured SOPs enhance the efficiency of public service delivery. Transparency: Clear procedures foster transparency in administrative processes. Community Involvement: Active participation of local citizens is crucial for successful implementation. Keywords: E-Government, PLAVON, SOP, Community Engagement, Rural Implementation

Democracy as a Goal and a Driving Force for Development: The Case Study of Vietnam

The article explores the complex interplay between democracy and development in Vietnam, a country with a unique historical and political context. Through document analysis, it examines the legal and political reforms implemented since the Doi Moi in 1986 to understand how democratic elements have contributed to Vietnam's socio-economic development. We argue that, despite existing challenges, the integration of democratic principles into Vietnam's development framework serves not only as an ultimate goal but also as a powerful catalyst for economic innovation, human development, and sustainable governance. The conclusion emphasizes that to maintain sustainable and inclusive development, Vietnam must continue its commitment to democratic values by improving governance mechanisms, expanding citizen participation, increasing transparency, and ensuring that development processes reflect the needs of the people. Only by deeply integrating these principles into its development strategy can Vietnam achieve long-term growth and stability.

The Open Data Newsroom: A Game Approach for Developing Open Data Competencies in Elementary School

Open Data refers to digital data that is made available to anyone with the legal and technical conditions to be freely used, reused, and redistributed. Although it has emerged as a new common with the potential to increase citizen participation and transparency, current literature suggests the lack of skills for managing data and participating in Open Data processes, as one of the main barriers to achieve these benefits. Integrating Open Data in school education has been recognized as key to fostering a larger community able to participate in Open Data ecosystems. This study showcases the design of a role-playing game grounded in authentic learning principles for the development of Open Data competencies in elementary school. The Open Data Newsroom is a game approach that immerses students in solving a mystery with data. In the game, students play Open Data Journalists engaging in a three-phase authentic process to get, understand and deliver data. The learning goal in the game is that students build open data competencies: data literacy and real-world problem solving. A design-based research methodological approach is applied to develop theory based and practically grounded educational designs. Two interventions in Danish schools have been conducted, each one with the participation of seventeen students in 7th to 9th grade and three teachers. Interventions are aimed at iteratively designing and testing the game. The discussion section elaborates on opportunities for redesigning and systematically developing the game as a learning design for Open Data competencies.

Co-creation and urban transformation: the application of design thinking for participatory solutions in Rio Tavares, Florianópolis

Cities face increasingly complex challenges that demand innovative and collaborative solutions. The lack of participatory urban planning and the need for more humanized approaches have generated negative impacts on the quality of life, including the loss of cultural identity, inadequate urban mobility, and environmental damage. This article analyzes the application of Design Thinking, focusing on the immersion and analysis stages, within a participatory urban transformation process in the Rio Tavares neighborhood of Florianópolis, Brazil. This growing neighborhood faces challenges such as the lack of urban infrastructure and the need for preserving cultural and environmental heritage. This study investigates how Design Thinking can engage the community in identifying and understanding these problems, promoting empathy, and gaining a clear understanding of local needs. The research employed an experience report methodology with data collection through a participatory mural at two cultural events held in the neighborhood. The results revealed the main challenges faced by the neighborhood and highlighted the importance of citizen participation in the urban transformation process.

Soundscape Architecture: conceptual proposals for improving the urban soundscape through building in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Architecture students from the University of Florida School of Architecture developing architectural and planning strategies in response to citizen generated initiative to improve the soundscape at multiple locations in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Site analysis including citizen participation in sound walks, personal observations, photo documentation, precedent studies, acoustic measurements, geographical measurements, and municipal code studies was conducted. This information informed conceptual and schematic design proposals for urban architecture (buildings), at critical locations in the urban fabric that seek to provide strategies toward improving the soundscape while supporting high residential density, mixed-use, entertainment, and transit. The work includes 11 student project proposals spanning two academic semesters. The work illustrates integrated design proposals addressing aspects of urban soundscapes such as: vertical distance as effective sound abatement strategy; buildings as acoustic buffers from transit or noisy streets; building envelope systems that both limit sound transmission and absorb sound; sound diffusing buildings; parking or limited occupancy program as buffer spaces; and land development code adoptions that can facilitate future implementation of effective soundscape improvement strategies. This paper will demonstrate the design process, issues of concern, prioritization of issues per specific sites, and show illustrations to visualize a range of soundscape strategies as architecture.

Partisipasi Masyarakat Mewujudkan Zero Stunting Melalui Program Jago Ceting di Kelurahan Kapasmadya Baru

Stunting is one of the health problems faced in the world, especially in poor and developing countries, including Indonesia. The problem of stunting in Indonesia is still a chronic problem and a top priority. Various efforts to deal with stunting in Indonesia have been carried out, such as in the city of Surabaya which launched the Jago Ceting program as an effort to accelerate the reduction in stunting rates. Stunting cases in the city of Surabaya are often experienced by the people of North Surabaya, specifically in Kapasmadya Baru Village. In implementing the Jago Ceting program, the government does not only need to collaborate with related agencies/departments but also needs to invite and involve the role of the citizen. This research aims to determine citizen participation in realizing zero stunting through the Jago Ceting program in the Kapasmadya Baru sub-district. The method used in this research is descriptive research using a qualitative approach. The results of this research show that the participation of the Kapasmadya Baru Village citizen in implementing the jago ceting program can be assessed as high. Apart from that, in the program implementation process, citizen involvement in the Jago Ceting program is a key aspect to reduce the increase in stunting rates in Kapasmdya Baru Village. Through citizen involvement, stunting rates can be controlled intensively. So it is easier for the government to find solutions to the citizens' needs regarding the stunting problem

Assessment of the Shortcomings on Fight Against Corruption

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the extent of corruption in the South African environment. The systematic organization of scholarly sources and methods for combating corruption shows that because it jeopardizes the integrity of a respectable government, corruption generally opposes accountability and the rule of law. Anti-corruption initiatives in the nation are still hampered by several issues, notwithstanding efforts to eradicate corruption. The article explores explicitly that there are various factors causing corruption to exist despite all measures. These factors are political interference, resource constraints, lack of accountability, complex bureaucracy, nepotism and patronage, inadequate legal framework, cultural factors, economic factors, and global factors. Investigation in the paper is conducted in the following logical sequence: contextual framework of corruption in the country is explained during various timeframes, and after that, a theoretical framework is discussed. The research methodology is stated that is applied to gather information for this article. The methodology used is qualitative and a comprehensive literature review was conducted to collect information. The study made use of various journal articles, books, legislative frameworks, and official records of the Auditor-General and Public Service Commission to obtain relevant information. The data was assessed through documents and conceptual analysis. The findings indicate that, despite anti-corruption laws, policies, and organizations, South Africa still confronts a variety of significant obstacles to corruption. Political leaders who use their connections to further their own interests may be the ones to foster an environment of unethical governance, which makes weak governance one of the most annoying obstacles of all. The article’s conclusion suggests that reducing corruption requires a strong emphasis on social accountability, public engagement, and citizen participation. These are excellent strategies, but sometimes they are not implemented or applied consistently. To reduce corruption, it is advised to inculcate moral principles at all governmental and governed levels to ensure reciprocal accountability.

Toward sustainable energy switch in built environment: learning from ongoing experiences

Abstract The contribution addresses the topic of the ecological transition of energy production and supply systems of built environment, mean as an evolution towards sustainable forms of reorganization of human communities. To this end, focuses its attention on the most recent application experiences, to compare what has been outlined at the political and financial level, with the output generated by the concrete interventions, by the energy, environmental and social point of view. A broad and varied picture emerges, in which the actions ranges from the energy solarization of individual or complex of buildings, to the solar use of large portions of territory. The analysis and classification of each initiative it made possible to understand which are the most widespread solutions and which requires greater support to be accepted at the local community level. It also consented to understand the need to integrate each initiative within a design process oriented towards preserving the quality of urban and rural landscape. This innovative approach, based on a bottom-up operational models founded on a public-private partnerships, a multidisciplinary of actors and an active participation of citizens, constitutes the next objective assumed by research work, oriented to define an operative design based procedure, able to support public and private actors in the choices formulation.