So What Difference Does it Make? Mapping the Outcomes of Citizen Engagement

Abstract

Summary Over the last two decades, the idea that citizen engagement and participation can contribute to improved governance and development outcomes has been mainstreamed in development policy and discourse. Yet despite the normative beliefs that underpin this approach, the impact of participation on improved democratic and developmental outcomes has proved difficult to assess. Where previous research studies have attempted to demonstrate impact, they tend to be limited to single interventions, a small number of country contexts or by various conceptual and methodological constraints. In this paper, we report on a meta‐case study analysis of a ten‐year research programme on citizenship, participation and accountability which analysed a non‐randomised sample of 100 research studies of four types of citizen engagement in 20 countries. By mapping the observable effects of citizen participation through a close reading of these studies, we created a typology of four democratic and developmental outcomes, including (a) the construction of citizenship, (b) the strengthening of practices of participation, (c) the strengthening of responsive and accountable states, and (d) the development of inclusive and cohesive societies. We find that citizen participation produces positive effects across these outcome types, though in each category there are also examples of negative outcomes of citizen participation. We also find that these outcomes vary according to the type of citizen engagement and to political context. These findings have important implications for the design of and support for participatory programmes meant to improve state responsiveness and effectiveness.

Civil Society, Public Action and Accountability in Africa

“…Citizen action, and donor pressure on governments has contributed to the adoption of legislation for citizens' "Right to Information", and to various initiatives to facilitate citizen ability to monitor public budgets and allocation of public resources, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and the Open Budget Index. Descriptions of these initiatives, and reviews of evidence of their impact are provided by McGee and Gaventa (2010) and Gaventa and Barrett (2010). We classify these initiatives as addressing the "politics" arm of accountability between citizens and political leadership of states, geared as they are towards improving general accountability of overall state resource allocation.…”

SDGs, health and the G20: a vision for public policy

“…Since then, the concept of primary healthcare has become a core concept of the World Health Organization's (WHO) goal of health for all (Medcalf et al 2015). Engaging communities in decision-making, planning, and implementing programs and policies that are about their own health and well-being leads to citizen empowerment and positive sustainable change (Freire 1970:125;Prost et al 2013;Hernández et al 2017;Gaventa and Barrett 2010). However, this engagement needs to go beyond broad participation of citizen groups, as the inclusion of women and the most vulnerable groups in these processes as key stakeholders and agents of change is crucial in addressing health inequities.…”

Efficacy in Action: Mobilising Community Participation for Inclusive Urban Development

“…Efficacy is the formative element of having agency or being empowered that determines the initial thoughts and steps that make engaging in new and uncertain actions possible. While the form and quality of outcome from citizen engagement in development can vary widely across contexts according to Gaventa and Barrett (2010), willingness to take a first step into new arena is difficult as active and effective citizens do not emerge automatically. Participation requires nurturing to have a positive impact on development and democratic outcomes.…”

“…The efficacy of poor communities, as partners in inclusive development, relies on building confidence among the poor that they have a legitimate and authoritative role to play and their contributions will lead to positive benefits. The form of citizen engagement may vary considerably across contexts along with the type of outcomes generated, as shown by Gaventa and Barrett (2010), but are founded upon a disposition to act. The meaning of efficacy within a context of urban development, explored in this paper, reflects a human ability 'to transcend the dictates of their immediate environment and to shape and regulate the present to fit a desired future' (Bandura 2001: 7).…”