Direct Involvement Of Citizens Research Articles

Making room for affordable housing: Project-based negotiations between planning authorities and landowners in Dutch and Swiss densification

The emerging objective to combat urban sprawl has put densification on the political agenda. Simultaneously, the complexity of planning within the existing built environment means that planning increasingly occurs on the project level. Project-based negotiations between planning authorities and landowners, in which agreements between parties are formalized in negotiated land use plans or private law contracts, thus shape the outcomes of densification projects. Considering the potential adverse effects of densification on housing affordability, it is important to understand how this shift towards project-based negotiations affects the ability of planners to secure public benefits such as affordable housing in redevelopment projects. This study uses a neo-institutional framework to analyze the negotiations between landowners and planning authorities and illuminates under which conditions affordable housing is provided. Case studies of six projects in two larger-scale redevelopment areas in the cities of Bern (Switzerland) and Nieuwegein (Netherlands) show this ability is highly dependent on (1) the existence of binding affordable housing targets, (2) landownership by non-profit actors, and (3) the direct involvement of citizens. The cases show a distinction between different types of project negotiations. In the Netherlands, contract-based negotiations can lead to the dilution of affordability targets, while in Switzerland, these targets are implemented more consistently through negotiated land use plans. The findings indicate that a project-based approach to planning may speed up the implementation of densification objectives but comes at the cost of democratic accountability. Instead, to ensure the social sustainability of urban densification projects, the scope of negotiations between planners and developers needs to move beyond cost-benefit considerations to include a broader range of public interests.

New markets for local, renewable, or affordable energy? A segmentation analysis to identify consumer preferences for decentralized energy markets

Local Energy Markets (LEMs) allow direct citizen involvement in energy production and trading. A study surveyed 636 Swiss electricity consumers using choice-based conjoint analysis to explore preferences for various LEM characteristics. Three consumer segments emerged: 'Renewable energy enthusiasts' (42 %), interested in energy mix and community PV investment; 'Price sensitives' (30 %), driven mainly by costs; and 'Uninvolved' (28 %), focused on energy mix but hesitant about PV investment. Demographic and psychological variables helped characterize these segments, suggesting tailored communication strategies to boost participation in future energy markets. Communication strategies should focus on ‘Renewable energy enthusiasts’ segment and should emphasize environmental benefits and community engagement to leverage their high motivation for involvement.

Energy Communities in Urban Areas: Comparison of Energy Strategy and Economic Feasibility in Italy and Spain

Energy communities using renewable energy sources directly contributes to reduction of climate change gas emissions and energy consumption in the European Union. In addition, energy communities enable citizens to transform from (passive) consumers to prosumers (active consumers and producers) and to play a proactive role in the deployment of energy transition in urban areas. As the transposition of European rules about energy communities into the national laws of EU Member States is very articulated and differentiated, this study proposes a framework to analyze and compare regulatory and financial instruments. This framework is applied to the analysis of the cases of Italy and Spain as representative of European states in which collective actions in the energy sector are not very common, with the aim of highlighting the main critical issues affecting the effectiveness of energy transition strategies and assessing the economic feasibility of energy communities. Based on analysis of regulations and procedures, including at the local level, it appears that municipalities play an important role as promoters of initiatives among citizen communities, while complex bureaucratic procedure is the most critical issue in both countries and can significantly hinder the spread of energy communities. With respect to the different financial incentives available for the formation of energy communities in Italy and Spain, a few cases studies are hypothesized, calculating the most relevant cost-effectiveness indicators, e.g., Net Present Value. It turns out that a project with the same characteristics achieves greater economic feasibility in Italy than in Spain, depending on the type and size of incentives set by national laws and, above all, that financial incentives are necessary to make the formation of energy communities cost-effective and thus to achieve direct citizen involvement in energy transition actions.

Trends and symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a longitudinal study on an Alpine population representative sample

ObjectivesThe continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 infection waves and the emergence of novel pathogens pose a challenge for effective public health surveillance strategies based on diagnostics. Longitudinal population representative studies on...

РОЛЬ НЕПОСРЕДСТВЕННОЙ ДЕМОКРАТИИ В МЕСТНОМ САМОУПРАВЛЕНИИ В РФ

The article is devoted to the problem of using the tools of direct democracy in local self-government in the Russian Federation. The author emphasizes the importance of direct involvement of citizens to participate in the management process at the municipal level. The article analyzes the most significant instruments of direct democracy provided for by the current Russian legislation and considers the prospects for the development of the institute of direct democracy in the field of local self-government.

STRATEGI PROTEKSI EKONOMI PASAR SAMPANG DALAM MENGHADAPI MONOPOLI DENGAN PRAKTIK KOLABORASI


 
 
 Sampang District is the only area in Cilacap Regency where citizens of Chinese descent are not allowed to have their own business to protect native traders from the monopoly of citizens of Chinese descent. The purpose of this study was to determine the trade protection model applied by Sampang residents in dealing with trade monopoly efforts from residents of Chinese descent. The research methodology used is the mix method. Collecting data by conducting surveys, observations, and interviews. The research location is Sampang District. Withdrawal of samples using purposive sampling method by interviewing people who know the trading system that applies in Sampang District. Analysis and processing of data using descriptive analysis. The results of the study show that the non-involvement of citizens of Chinese descent in the Sampang economy has been going on for a long time, namely when Sampang residents tried to protect their territory from the direct involvement of citizens of Chinese descent in economic activities. Sampang residents allow a business collaboration system between residents of Chinese descent and indigenous residents but using the names of indigenous people. With this strategy, the people of Sampang can develop the economy of the indigenous people without being dependent on people of Chinese descent.
 
 

Analyzing the Criticalities of Public Spaces to Promote Sustainable Mobility

The massive spread of private cars has led to the progressive reduction of public space quality. Public space is one of the city components necessary to give life to the city itself and should have the characteristics of quality, safety, and accessibility. With a view to the sustainable development of the urban environment, these needs should be met through targeted interventions, with particular attention to the integration between urban planning and mobility. Therefore, in this paper, we study the urban regeneration of public space in favor of sustainable mobility. A methodology for the definition of the cognitive framework in urban regeneration processes is proposed. The methodology is based on three different strongly interconnected phases: the first phase is the analysis of the urban context, the second is the analysis of the perception of space by the user, while the third and final phase proposes some preparatory solutions for the subsequent design phase. The technical analyzes are based on observations on the site, measurements, and the use of thematic maps. On the contrary, the perception phase is based on the direct involvement of citizens through a survey. The methodology is applied to the case study of the San Bartolomeo district of the city of Brescia. The results show a connection between the technical characteristics of the road and the perception of space by the users. Furthermore, they are useful for the design of a public space weighted to the needs encountering.

Deepening Democracy? Promises and challenges of Chile’s Road to a New Constitution

As a response to mass mobilizations against the political and social status quo, a multiparty agreement activated a process to replace the constitution in Chile, three decades after the country’s transition to democracy. I argue that this process has three features that are not only desirable on normative grounds but also shared by successful episodes of constitutional replacement in democratic regimes: the drafting of the new text in an assembly bound by preexisting rules, inclusive mechanisms of representation and decision making, and direct citizen involvement. These features, in interaction with the popular repudiation of the elite-biased institutions inherited from the Pinochet era, might lead to a new constitutional arrangement that deepens democratization by expanding citizen rights, strengthening executive constraints, and removing restrictions on majority rule. Yet the realization of the full democratic potential of this constitutional change depends on the still uncertain ability of constitution makers to compromise on a text that is not only seen as legitimate among ordinary citizens but also promotes coherent goals, effective institutions, and good governance.

The Features of the Environmental Behavior of the Urban Population and the Mechanisms of its Improvement

The purpose of this study is to characterize the environmental behavior of the population and attempt to identify its models, as well as develop directions and mechanisms for improving urban environmental policy based on levers of influence on existing patterns of behavior, considering the goals of sustainable development. To solve the objectives set in the study, general scientific methods were used: theoretical: analysis of peer-reviewed scientific sources on the research problem to clarify the features of the environmental behavior of the urban population and empirical: a survey method.It has been proven that the mechanisms of direct involvement of citizens in environmental actions and resource-saving practices are effective, since they become the beginning of a dialogue between the main stakeholders of the process: local and central authorities and public organizations of various orientations.Periodic studies of the environmental friendliness of the behavior of the city’s population in the future will make it possible to assess the effectiveness of the city authorities and become the basis for future management decisions.

Constitution-making and liberal democracy: The role of citizens and representative elites

Abstract This article discusses the impact of citizen participation and elite cooperation in constitution-making on the deepening of an already existing electoral democracy. It argues that while direct citizen involvement in the drafting of constitutions may be desirable on normative grounds or necessary for pragmatic reasons, only cooperation among a plurality of elected political representatives at the constitution-making stage is likely to improve the liberal dimension of democracy after the enactment of the new constitution. Inclusive constitutional agreements at the level of representative elites not only establish legal limits on state action but may also provide opposition parties and citizens alike with the means to make institutional constraints on executive power and civil liberties effective. This effect is usually observed during the early years of life of the new constitution, when the balance of power among the political forces that created the constitution tends to remain stable. I find preliminary support for this argument analyzing aggregate data and selected case studies from all episodes of democratic constitution-making in the world between 1900 and 2015.

The Populist Discourse on Representation in Lithuania

Populist parties participate in the process of political representation through elections. Little is known about how they conceptualize this process since their statements refer to a direct involvement of citizens in decision-making and disapprove of representatives. This article addresses this issue and presents an empirical study about how Lithuanian populist political parties define political representation. The data come from the 2016 election manifestos and from party websites between April 2016 and September 2017. The qualitative content analysis reveals that populists define representation by referencing common moral values and constant communication with citizens. This helps them create a political identity common to themselves as representatives and the represented.

Is Participatory Budgeting Understood Enough by Citizens in Terms of Being Reachable for Them?

<p><em>This study focuses mainly on participatory budgeting issues, citizen budget education; informing citizens about public investments/projects; community needs; employee performance; the quality of public services provided. The above issues, and especially the relationship between local leaders and citizens, are a good indicator to assess how local governance and citizens are moving in the same direction and to what extent is this inverse fulfillment of expectation. This relationship is expressed in terms of an unclear and incomplete perception of the ratio between what citizens pay in the form of local taxes and public services provided by the Municipality. This fact, mainly related to the expectations of citizens from local government for the use/management of the local budget, highlights the gap between the two parties involved in this process. It is evident the lack of a budgetary education from citizens and the need to orient and clarify citizens on this process, the importance it has for direct involvement of citizens and prioritization of community needs. The article concludes: in order to bring local government closer to citizens and the community, aiming at maximizing the fulfillment of the principle of “subsidiary” of local self-government, the Participatory Budgeting process should be done more inclusive and accessible to citizens.</em></p>

On the Necessary and Sufficient Condition for Increasing Direct Participation Rights in Democracies: Comment on “Proposals for a Democracy of the Future” by Bruno S. Frey

This article explores several issues related to whether and how direct participation of citizens could be further developed in democratic systems. The analysis starts with an overview of Frey’s proposals for a democracy of the future. The article then addresses three main issues related to direct citizen involvement in public decision-making: (1) the link between extensive direct participation rights and Pareto optimality; (2) the question whether political parties do matter in representative democracies; and (3) the role of program evaluation in our modern democracies. The main conclusion of the analysis is that, given the current state of the literature, the search for Pareto-optimal policies does not appear as either a necessary condition (representative democracies have merits on their own) or a sufficient condition (referendums can yield inefficient outcomes) for extended democratic participation rights.

Integrasi Bangsa dan Neo Weberian State (NWS)

This paper aims to analysis that Indonesia as a strategic country, located between two continents and two oceans. Indonesia is high populations and has rich natural resources, so that it can be coveted by other countries. In 2043, Indonesia to be threatment from other world, because there has been a crisis of food availability, clean water, and energy. The influence of global era, open markets and liberal economic system have affected decreasing Indonesia’s nationalism (disintegration), made high poverty, lower of social welfare and only give the advantage toward capitalist groups. In addition, domestic issues, such as the SARA issue, are easily explored, resulting in political conflicts. The domestic, international and global problems will be the main conflict if it did not manage well and can to be disintegration of nations impact. Therefore, New Weberian State (NWS) Concept is expected to be a solution to prevent disintegration of Indonesia nations. NWS one of model for development countries with instruments rational, efficiency, effective, accountability and eigh principal to be implemented :1). Centrality of the State, 2). Reform and Enforcement of Administrative Law, 3). Preservation of Public Service, 4). Representative Democracy, 5). External Orientation Toward Citizens, 6). Supplemental Public Consultation and Direct Citizen Involvement, 7). Results Orientation, 8). Management Professionalism.

Audience behaviours and digital television policy measures in Italy: A qualitative investigation

Abstract A transition process to new Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) technologies is in progress in Europe, connected to the release of the 700 MHz band. In the management of this new technological transition, the experience gained in the previous transition process (from analogue to digital) could provide useful insight to help reduce costs and promote citizens’ uptake of new technologies. This article presents an investigation into the use behaviour of adults not using the Internet during the DTT transition and their future expectations regarding TV services. As a broad reference, we adopted both user experience and user acceptance models, in particular the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Following a qualitative methodological approach, three focus groups were carried out, involving adult non-Internet users. The results confirm that user segmentation is critical not only on the basis of socio-demographic variables but also according to the definition of appropriate cultural models. A segmentation into four micro-cultures (‘Ideologically against’, ‘Inadequates’, ‘Enthusiasts’, ‘Indigents’) emerges. This segmentation can inspire different tactical interventions to encourage the adoption of digital media and different policy measures, such as communication campaigns, specific support modalities and economic incentives. In order to face the 700 MHz band transition process, it is advisable to carry out ad hoc qualitative surveys with the direct involvement of citizens, in order to identify the most appropriate measures to be implemented in favour of the corresponding user segments.

Do young citizens’ expectations shape engagement activation with the public sector? Proposing a model to link expectations, engagement and tangible growth

There is growing literature documenting the positive outcomes of engagement arising from the direct involvement of citizens in administrative processes. However, little has been done assessing the impact that engagement has on economic and social growth. Building on theory of intangible assets as applied to the public sector, this paper focuses on the relationship between expectations, engagement (as an indicator of intangible value), and tangible growth, and suggests a model for exploring the global impact of citizen engagement through international comparisons between Northern and Southern European countries. The specific target is young citizens. Data from the World Bank are used for valuable indicators on economic and social growth at the macro level of countries and data from the European Social Survey are used to elaborate indicators of the intangible value of engagement.

Public deliberation in the function of overcoming the democratic deficit, public debate and delineation from public hearing

The article analyses forms of direct democracy from its historical forms, in Ancient Greece, to the modern ones, in Switzerland and the USA. Pointing towards the modern flaws of representative democracy, which dominates the present world, the author explores the forms of citizen participation - from participation to influence, which assists the overcoming of the democratic deficit in practice. Besides the traditional (classical) ones, the analysis also focuses on the innovative mechanisms, from informal to formal ones, from individual to collective mechanisms. The focus is on the procedures of direct citizen participation such as: elections, referendum (with its modalities, plebiscite and popular veto), citizens' initiatives, the right of legislative initiative, public meetings, as well as seeking new constructive solutions which enable the citizens not only to express their opinions through selecting the option for or against, but to actively participate and express their own opinions, positions, experiences and arguments - to participate in public deliberation. These are: public debate, public hearing, public consultations and public discussions, round tables and public presence in the form of mini-audiences, public opinion polls and participation in surveys, cooperation of state bodies with civil society organisations, public call for submission of proposals, remarks and petitions, public-private dialogue, focus groups, citizen panels, citizen conferences, citizens' advisory committees, town hall meetings, citizens juries, consensus conferences, the world cafe. In particular, the article points out that e-participation is nowadays utilised more often and gains significance, since it enables citizens to submit their proposals and remarks electronically, in the form of discussion and interaction via social networks and on-line dialogue platforms. It points towards the positive effects and advantages of direct involvement of citizens in the process of decision making and policy making, through contributions to correcting, stabilizing and consolidating the modern representative democracy. Considering the forms of direct citizen participation in the Serbian society, the next part of the article focuses on the public debate and analyses its legal framework in Serbia and the region. With an analysis of public hearings, the article confirms the author's initial hypothesis that public hearing is not synonymous to or a form of public debate (as often understood in the Serbian public). The author identified 13 original criteria of delineation by which these two institutes differ. Indicating the possibilities of application of other innovative mechanisms of citizen participation which have been proven in the practice of other countries, the author provides concrete recommendations and three possible legal routes for the improvement of public deliberation and concludes that by the power of an argumentative public deliberation and the participation of a larger number of citizens and all sectors of the society, as well as the involvement of their arguments in final texts of laws and other regulations, the present partocracy could be led to a rule of reason, i.e. that the state of political parties is transformed into a state of reason.

Exploring Psychological Factors Influencing Deliberation

In contemporary societies there is a growing need to coordinate and legitimize different perspectives. Instead of a dialogical search for consensus polarizing communication still prevails. The legitimacy of formal political institutions and conventional forms of political participation is in decline; increasingly publicly expressed people's need for a greater influence on social developments reveals a deficit in approaches how to include them more actively in discussions on complex social problems. There has been a growing number of theoretical and empirical appeals to advance deliberation within governmental bodies and public institutions, as well as in a form of direct citizen involvement in (organized) face-to-face meetings. Yet, no radical shift has been made (so far), largely due to poor understanding of subjective and intersubjective (psychological) aspects of deliberation - the exploration of these aspects is the aim of this article. The case is being made for using till now unstudied influence of attachment style on the quality of deliberation and on the readiness to transform and coordinate attitudes with others in a deliberative process.

The Madhya Pradesh Lok Sewaon Ke Pradan Ki Gurantee Adhiniyam 2010: Putting The Citizen First

Even though we live in democracy, there is usually very little direct citizen involvement in the governance of country. The rigid Weberian bureaucratic system has proved inefficient and ineffective in the delivery of public service to the satisfaction of the citizens.

Innovation in Democratic E-Governance

This article provides a brief introduction to Web 2.0 and its gradual adoption in public services and governance. Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of Web-based communities, networks and hosted services, which facilitates interaction between users. Since the invention of the concept of Web 2.0, version numbering has been attached to various activities and organizations, including government. Government 2.0 opens a horizon towards post-modern governance, in which government utilizes in its governance and stakeholder relations open and pluralist interactivity, community-centeredness and citizens’ own content production and networking, following the logic of Web 2.0. The promise of Government 2.0 lies in the idea that the more direct citizen involvement there is in public affairs in Web 2.0 style, the more reason there is for people to take a constructive view of public policies, governance and organizations.