The Question of Participation: Toward Authentic Public Participation in Public Administration

Abstract

This chapter examines the question of the necessity or desirability of more effective participation by reviewing the literature in United States public administration and identifies the relevant contemporary issues for both administrators and citizens. It discusses the strategies for overcoming the barriers, and suggests implications for the practice of public administration and citizenship. The chapter organizes around the themes that emerged from the literature review, interviews and focuses on group discussions. It also suggests that how to overcome these barriers in order to move toward more authentic participatory processes. In the context of conventional participation, the administrator controls the ability of the citizen to influence the situation or the process. Both citizens and administrators defined the key elements of authentic participation as focus, commitment, trust, and open and honest discussion. Three categories of barriers were identified in the analyzes: the nature of life in contemporary society, administrative processes and practices and techniques of participation.