Citizen Participation in Architecture and Urban Planning Confronted with Arnstein's Ladder: Four Experiments into Popular Neighbourhoods of Hainaut Demonstrate Another Hierarchy
participation; popular neighborhood; urban planning
Abstract :
[en] Widely used and disseminated, Arnstein's ladder is considered a reference for citizen participation. It, nevertheless, involves a recurrent bias and a certain confusion when confronted with projects in the Belgian and French working-class districts of cross-border Hainaut. Characterised by fundamentally opposed management systems (one bureaucratic and hierarchical, the other democratic or even delegative), these worksites challenge Arnstein's concepts and allow us to understand that information is not a level in the participation ladder, but the condition for the functioning of the whole system. Likewise, they also teach us that manipulation and delegation are not opposite extremes but can percolate in any level of participation. Finally, they reveal that the interlocking of powers and the interplay of stakeholders can easily turn the established participation mechanism from exemplary to revolting and vice versa. [en] Widely used and disseminated, Arnstein's ladder is considered a reference for 13
citizen participation. It nevertheless involves a recurrent bias and a certain confusion 14
when confronted with projects in the Belgian and French working-class districts of cross- 15
border Hainaut. Characterised by fundamentally opposed management systems (one 16
bureaucratic and hierarchical, the other democratic or even delegative), these worksites 17
challenge Arnstein's concepts and allow us to understand that information is not a level 18
in the participation ladder, but the condition for the functioning of the whole system. 19
Likewise, they also teach us that manipulation and delegation are not opposite extremes 20
but can percolate in any level of participation. Finally, they reveal that the interlocking 21
of powers and the interplay of stakeholders can easily turn the established participation 22
mechanism from virtuous to unhealthy and vice versa.
Romariz Peixoto, Larissa ; Université de Mons > Faculté d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme > Service d'Architecture et Société
Rectem, Laura ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme > Service d'Architecture et Société
Pouleur, Jean-Alexandre ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme > Service d'Architecture et Société
Translator :
Bauwens, Stéphanie ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme > Service d'Architecture et Société
Language :
English
Title :
Citizen Participation in Architecture and Urban Planning Confronted with Arnstein's Ladder: Four Experiments into Popular Neighbourhoods of Hainaut Demonstrate Another Hierarchy
Publication date :
26 February 2022
Journal title :
Architecture
ISSN :
0746-0554
Publisher :
VNU Business Publications, Pays-Bas
Volume :
2
Pages :
114-134
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Research unit :
A530 - Architecture et Société
Research institute :
Soci&Ter
Name of the research project :
3707 - RHS - Réseaux Hainaut Solidaire : Favoriser l'inclusion sociale par la reconstruction de l'identité du Hainaut. - Région wallonne