Citizen participation

The involvement of citizens in research and practice has emerged as a critical component in the fields of urban planning and governance. This chapter focuses on the ways in which local governments and planning practitioners collaborate with citizens to conduct urban affairs in a way that leads to the achievement of governance goals, community development, and fair representation of affected local groups. Such efforts often call for clarifications and/or redefinitions of governments' roles and methods, the responsibility of participating citizens to seek involvement and develop their knowledge, and the varying meanings of "participation" and "community." A review of literature is presented to reflect on scholarly debates, case studies, and practical and methodological issues in participatory planning and governance research. The chapter also addresses the major issues involved in conducting participatory research across different geographies and suggests timely remedies. Readers across different disciplines and interests are provided with the opportunity to explore various perspectives, develop new skills, and consider how this learning can be applied to successful governance practices with citizen participation and input.