Issue Of Citizen Participation Research Articles

INVESTIGATING THE FUNCTIONING OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN A STATE GOVERNED BY THE RULE OF LAW IN A DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY

This article examines the functioning of civil society in a rule-of-law state in a deliberative democracy. Covering the theoretical aspect, the article analyses the essence of civil society, the rule of law, and deliberative democracy. In particular, the role of NGOs, media, and other public structures in shaping public opinion and contributing to solving critical problems of society is considered. The authors analyse the interaction of civil society with the legal system, in particular, the role of NGOs in promoting the implementation of laws and monitoring their observance. An important aspect of the study is the analysis of deliberative democracy and its impact on the functioning of civil society, in particular, the issue of citizen participation in decisionmaking and policymaking. The study includes an analysis of the role of civil society in ensuring citizen participation in decision-making, problem-solving, maintaining social stability, and ensuring human rights. Various aspects of civic participation are considered, including public discussions, petitions, and other forms of public mobilization in deliberative democracy. The authors note that the effective functioning of civil society contributes to building a democratic society in which interaction between different social groups is ensured, which helps to achieve consensus and improve citizens' standard of living. The author offers practical recommendations for improving the interaction between civil society and the rule of law to ensure a more effective deliberative democracy.

Citizen Participation in Science & Technology, Communication, and Education in the Age of Great Transformation

This special report consists of four research-in-brief analyses based on the “Scientific Culture and Media Use of the 4<SUP>th</SUP> Industrial Revolution” survey. In the first analysis, Kim deals with the issue of citizen participation in science and technological changes. Her research suggests a positive relationship between technological change and citizen participation in science and technology. Secondly, Kang raises important arguments regarding various transforming democratic principles that are centered on smart cities. His research explores the digital platforms of engaging citizens in smart cities and discusses these changes in governing policy regarding smart cities. With an information processing perspective, Kim and Jeon analyze the public perception of the 4<SUP>th</SUP> Industrial Revolution. They found that Koreans adopt various innovative media strategies of data sharing and accumulation, which have a positive relationship with the acquisition of new scientific and technological knowledge. At the closing, S. Kim and G. Kim analyze the problem of smart education and suggest learning space innovation. They discuss how important implementing smart education is within our school system.

Partycypacja obywatelska na poziomie lokalnym — przykład miasta Opola

The issue of citizen participation at the local level becomes important in the practice of Polish cities. However, it should be noted that the initiatives on participation in social consultations undertaken in this area are of an optional nature. The experiences of individual urban centres regarding the involvement of residents in this type of political participation are probably very diverse. The participation of the local community enables real recognition and taking into account the needs and expectations of the residents regarding shaping their immediate environment. Thus, it influences the improvement of the quality of life and the optimization of the urban offer. Bad experiences from participation may result in weakening the willingness to continue (both by local authorities and residents). To promote good practices, it is therefore necessary to systematize knowledge in the field of research in question. The aim of the article is at least partially to fill the gap in the presented research area, while the research perspective narrows down to the administrative borders of the city of Opole. Due to the diversity of participation categories referring to the term “civic participation”, it should be noted that the content of this article focuses only on two of them, namely the involvement of Opole’s residents in public consultations and the civic budget.

La participación ciudadana como criterio de valor en evaluaciones de carácter integral. Una aproximación desde la experiencia de AEVAL

Desde hace años la cuestión de la participación ciudadana ha suscitado un notable interés. Tanto en el ámbito académico como desde organismos internacionales se han generado numerosos trabajos en relación con modelos y procesos de participación, evaluaciones de políticas públicas con enfoque participativo o considerando la participación como una variable explicativa de su éxito o fracaso. Sin embargo es dificultoso encontrar evaluaciones de políticas públicas que contemplen entre otros criterios de valor, el de participación. El problema que se pretende abordar en este artículo es cómo evaluar la participación ciudadana en procesos de evaluación de carácter integral y que por lo tanto abordan todo el ciclo de la política utilizando para ello múltiples criterios de valor.

Putting good governance into practice II

My first progress report introduced the recently established Ibrahim Index of African governance in the context of efforts to im-prove good governance in the global South (Farrington, 2009). I suggested that the Ibrahim Index represents a considerable advance on previous assessments of governance both in the geographical context of sub-Saharan Africa and, more generally, in the conceptual context of governance evaluation. However, the Index is not immune to cri-ticism of various kinds. This report will instigate a process of critical evaluation by focusing, fi rst, on the conceptual universalism underpinning the Ibrahim Index and, second, on the issue of citizen participation, considered in terms of certain indicators used in the construction of the Index. This latter discussion will form the basis of several proposed extensions to the Index, on the grounds that the Ibrahim Index’s obvious merits justify a policy of constructive criticism and continued engagement rather than wholesale rejection. This process of critical evaluation and extension will be con-tinued in the third progress report.

Arab citizens in an Israeli city: action and discourse in public programmes

The present study analyses the status of the Arab minority in Israel, as revealed in Project Renewal, one of the largest and most ambitious programmes implemented in the country during the 1980s. The analysis discloses how conflicts over symbolic issues, such as the definition of the collective's boundaries, found their way on to the Project Renewal agenda, and how they affected the project's dynamics. The article analyses the intensity of the conflicts evoked by the issue of citizen participation in the neighbourhood. It interprets the clashes over neighbourhood representation as essentially resulting from a core conflict, one in which the very boundaries of Israel's moral community appeared to be at stake. The conclusions are based on an analytical distinction between those components of the programme that may be viewed as related to liberal citizenship rights, and those pertaining to republican citizenship rights, that is, elements touching upon the definition of the boundaries of the social collective and the moral community.