The purpose of this study has been an investigation of citizen participation in USDA Forest Service land management planning for the Coronado National Forest (CNF) in southeastern Arizona. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this research combined concepts from the fields of sociology, political science, natural resource planning and management to develop methods for obtaining citizen input, promoting ethnic minority participation, and following Forest Service use of public comment in the planning process. Data from existing questionnaires and a short questionnaire developed specifically for planning forums were used to investigate forms of participation, determine which publics participate and ascertain levels of interest in natural resource planning. Participation on the CNF core planning team provided observations on use of the publics' input. Despite a 20 percent Mexican-American population surrounding the CNF, there was essentially no ethnic minority participation in planning forums designed to gather public issues. Data support the thesis that minorities did not participate because they did not generally think that natural resource questions were important and did not support land planning. Ethnic minorities will come to meetings when they are directly affected, despite a low sense of efficacy. Ethnic minorities had equal access to information about planning forums; however, very few were on the mailing list because they did not respond to a letter inviting them to be on the CNF mailing and generally did not answer requests for public comment. The Forest Service used the public comments received as the basis for writing issue statements which set the parameters for integrating land and resource planning. Results were reported back to the public for review and issue statements were subsequently revised as a result of citizen and other agency comment. Citizen participation is one way to overcome skepticism of the Forest Service resource management performed in the name of the public interest. Different syles of decision-making imply different roles for citizen participation. Elections are decided by voting and legislative votes are influenced by lobbying. In a bureaucracy, incremental decision-making suggests citizen participation in order to map the political terrain, satisficing encourages interest group negotiation, and the synoptic approach wants facts from the publics. To count votes when decisions are being made to satisfice adds irrelevant data that frustrates both decision-maker and public. Comprehensive and useful public comment can be obtained from a structured process that is appropriate to the decision-making style the agency is using. Citizen views are part of the decision, but so also are economics, legal requirements, and resource constraints. Only in elections do a majority of citizens who vote, win. Bureaucratic decisions are not so neat in terms of popular will. But that is inherent in a government run by three branches, the legislative, executive, and judicial, in a complex society.

Diakonia is a Christian, church-based, development agency operating in the greater Durban area. It was conceived and established by the Roman Catholic Archbishop Denis Hurley. A qualitative, conceptual, and historical case study of Diakonia and its founder is undertaken. The case study seeks to reveal the nature and role of Christian non-violent social action for peace and social justice in South Africa between 1976 and 1982 – the first six years of Diakonia’s existence. Some of the questions that Diakonia raises about the role of religion in social change are explored, namely:  What is religion as belief and ideology?  What, if any, is the role of religion in social change?  Does the existence of an organisation such as Diakonia demonstrate that religion can directly and positively impact on non-violent human agency for social justice? An understanding of Diakonia cannot be divorced from its situation. The agency is therefore located within the historical configuration of the South African nation-state. In addition, it is analysed in relation the institutional Church; to opposition politics, both secular and religious; to civil society in relation to the state and social change and; to the place of non-government organisations in civil society. Non-violence debates on peace and social justice form an important part of this analysis. The study affirms that religion can make a significant contribution to social justice. Whatever advances social participation, non-violence, equality, liberty and, a better life experience for more of the population is an improvement on the existing state of affairs in a society. Religion therefore has a legitimate role to play in social change. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This dissertation investigates the approach and process employed to both water delivery and capacity building in two distinct KwaZulu-Natal schemes within Mapumulo and Ngwavuma - the Masibambisane Water Project and the Shemula Community Water Supply Scheme, respectively. The principal concern of the study is whether capacity building may proceed alongside service delivery. The context of the study is established in exploring several theories of rural development, the role of power structures, the state and development agents, as well as the Reconstruction and Development Programme, in relation to rural development. Furthermore, the concept of capacity building is examined in terms of theory and practice in order to conceptually locate the schemes under consideration. The central argument of the dissertation is that effective management of the delivery process, from investigatory work through to implementation and maintenance of the product, enables capacity building to proceed apace. The primary research conducted around the respective schemes offers support to the argument and further highlights the centrality of extensive community consultation and participation within the delivery process. It is further argued that capacity building is not simply a desirable, but essential component of community-based development initiatives, particularly where the role played by community members subsequent to project implementation is critical to the sustainability of the product. In addition, a comprehensive and grounded understanding of the development context and of the needs and aspirations of the beneficiary community are advanced as being indispensable in seeking to successfully deliver a service in a manner that is appropriate and sustainable. Finally, the role of the state, funding institutions and delivery agents within the rural development context may prove highly effective in facilitating fundamental positive changes in the quality of life experienced by rural people. However, it is argued that in order for such development to proceed, such agents need to adopt a self-critical approach and adapt their current policies, practice and perceptions in accordance with the constraints and opportunities of the development context. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1995.

The tourism phenomenon has shifted focus from a purely economic and business development strategy towards sustainable development and community-based tourism. It currently emphasises the importance of responsible tourism development. A growing trend in South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is the promotion for tourists and host destinations to take responsibility for local resources, including cultural and natural resources. As a result, the proliferation of cultural, heritage and natural centred attractions have emerged throughout the province. However, this shift in thinking has not always managed to result in sustainable and successful tourism projects in practice. The academia emphasises the breach that exists in community participation and levels of management in many community-based initiatives. This research project proposes that sustainable tourism development requires a thorough examination of how communities perceive the tourism phenomenon and how they would like to see their own cultural identity represented to tourists. The case study of the Van Reenen community was interspersed with visual research methods in order to elicit a purer response from the local community. It questions what influences people’s perceptions of their collective and individual social identities. This research used conventional interview methods combined with two visual methodologies, namely auto-driven elicitation and photo elicitation. The former removes the researcher from the image-making process and involves the use of photographs or visual art produced by the research subjects in response to a specific question. The latter method is based on the idea of placing a photograph into a research interview and structuring questions around it. The theoretical framework of this study considers cultural self-representation as a tool to enhance community participation which can result in more sustainable and authentic experiences for both the tourists as well as the host community. Referring to the gap which exists in sustainable tourism development, this method can be very productive to increase community tourism knowledge development and participation. The results of this research will enable the local community to produce marketing literature; enable the N3 Toll Concession (Pty) Ltd (the project sponsor) to enhance community-based tourism (CBT) in the area, and inform future projects. The participant data reveals that this particular rural community is substantially influenced by their most immediate surroundings. It can therefore be assumed that the community has a perception which values that their current cultural and natural heritage can be utilised as vehicles for tourism development. The case study identifies its own limitations in not eliciting enough useful data from participant self-analysis. The visual methods used in this study provide tourism development projects with a tool to increase community commitment through real involvement as well as constructions of authentically unique products for the tourists. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This dissertation seeks to expose through a systemic approach the complexity and centrality of governance in community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). This is premised on the hypothesis that an appreciation of this complexity and of drawing analytic distinctions between governance and management is necessary for successful interventions. The study adopts community-based environmental governance (CBEG) as the core heuristic variable in a conceptual framework for analysing CBNRM. The application of this framework generates empirical evidence concerning CBNRM processes adopted in the Kafue Flats socio-biophysical system. It is illustrated that CBNRM processes are established and implemented in a complex context. It is observed that social actors on the Kafue Flats usually do not constructively understand and appreciate this complexity. Several examples are demonstrated in which the thinking and actions of these actors reflect a limited conceptual framework of systems thinking and the inherent complexity in CBNRM. It is illustrated that these actors do not appreciate that CBNRM is a significant component of the governance of natural resource utilisation. This lack of appreciation is essentially identified as a contributing factor to poor performance. Ultimately, CBNRM processes are not only about sustainable use of natural resources; but also the nature and quality of relationships amongst social actors in CBEG. By drawing attention to these relationships, this study broadens our understanding of what goes into CBNRM processes. The implications of ignoring these relationships can be detrimental to the success of CBNRM. Accordingly, the establishment of productive CBNRM systems depends on how firmly CBEG issues and concerns are incorporated into CBNRM analyses and operations. Evidently, CBNRM cannot be pragmatically pursued in rigid socio-biophysical settings. It requires systemic and structural changes in the socio-political, economic and cultural mechanisms of CBEG. Thus, all cooperating partners, governments included, should accept that CBEG and CBNRM are inseparable. This understanding necessitates them to spearhead CBEG capacity building schemes at international, national and local levels. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

This study examines public participation in post-apartheid planning projects, using the KwaMashu Urban Renewal Project as a Case Study. A qualitative approach was adopted in the investigation. This study made the use of unstructured open ended interviews and observation to obtain primary data, which was thereafter analysed though the use of the thematic method. The study revealed that the process of Public Participation within the planning field has evolved substantially within the context of South Africa. There is adequate legislation and the necessary structures for public participation are present within the community. However, there is insufficient depth in legislation to ensure that public participation has an impact on final decision making. The extent of participation in the KwaMashu Renewal Project as a whole was minimal. This is mainly due to the nature of the participatory methods that were used which did not allow the community to fully engage with the planning processes within the different sub projects. It was evident that these [participatory methods] were mainly applied to fulfil the regulatory obligation for public participation in spatial development projects. The challenges of public participation that were noted within the case study include internal politics, land ownership and illegal occupation in state owned buildings. The study recommends early inclusion of the community in such projects and allowing for the community to be part of the creative process in projects. Secondly, this study also recommends that there needs to be a diffusion of power and diminishing limits of public participation within planning projects. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)--University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

This creative project has examined the cooperation between the public and private sectors (public-private partnerships) and how they effectively combined resources to revitalize downtown Indianapolis. The public-private partnership process operating in Indianapolis was explored using two specific partnership efforts. A detailed discussion of the development of Market Square Arena - the city's first major partnership effort - and the development of the proposed Circle Centre Mall - the city's latest and reaching attempt at public-private cooperation - serve as two examples in defining the partnership process.In addition, the creative project defines five components necessary for public-private partnerships to operate effectively in Indianapolis. / Department of Urban Planning

<p>This study focused on participatory governance in the form of involvement of communities and community organisation in matters of local government in general, and citizens participation in the local budget process in particular. The study therefore aimed to assess the theoretical and policy framework for citizens participation in South Africa / and evaluated the perceptions of councillors and civics and ratepayer organisations on participation in the local budget process at the eThekwini Municipality.</p>

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite calls for greater public participation in all aspects of environmental planning, impact assessment and decision making, opportunities for participation in the planning, legal and administrative systems governing these activities, are limited. Public participation has often been reduced to a procedural exercise instead of a substantive process to include the public in environmental decision making. Thus, it is relevant to examine public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), providing ways to improve its effectiveness. The emphasis of this thesis is therefore, to compare the role of public participation in the environmental assessment process in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States. It begins by defining the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment and the concept of public participation and explores how the rationales of public participation may be integrated into the environmental planning process. Features of each of the three existing EIA systems are examined since components such as the appropriate legislative framework, the institutional framework, the public, and formal and informal public participation opportunities in the EIA process are the factors contributing towards effective public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment. The author argues that public participation deserves attention because the degree of participation affects the quality of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which, in turn, affects the quality of a decision about a project. Broader participation creates more information and alternatives to be presented to decision makers, enhancing the opportunity to mesh public values and government policy. Although public participation may slow down the EIA process, the real goal of EIA theory is to ensure sustainable development, no matter how long the EIA process takes. Apparently, the three EIA laws discussed in the comparative analysis, are consistent with sustainable development since these laws operate to force considerations of environmental impacts into the decision making process. Moreover, properly drafted EIA laws are based on a strict standard of procedural compliance to ensure that the responsible decision makers are fully apprised of the environmental consequences which they review. Involving the public is a safeguard against bad or politically motivated decisions, and a mechanism to increase public awareness of the delicate balance between economic and environmental trade offs. If conducted openly, it may ultimately increase public confidence in the decision making process. Public participation has the potential to enhance the maintenance of accountability in public and private sectors. The public should realise that they, individually or through interest groups, can participate in public matters that affect them, with a view to persuading decision makers and shaping environmental policies. The thesis further reviews the different roles the public can play during the various stages of an Environmental Impact Assessment process, whereby formal and informal public participation opportunities are explored according to the country-specific context. The comparative analytical framework in the thesis reveals significant variations within and between the three countries. Apparently, the three EIA systems seem to possess more or less mature, well-defined and formal Environmental Impact Assessment systems. For the UK and South Africa, examples could be taken from the United States, which has developed more adequate public participation provisions than those of the European Directive and of the South African EIA Regulations, particularly as far as the level and degree of public participation and techniques are concerned. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van beroepe op groter openbare deelname in alle aspekte van omgewingsbeplanning, inpakbeoordeling en besluitneming, is geleenthede vir deelname in die beplannings-, administratiewe en wetlike sisteme wat hierdie aktiwiteite beheer, beperk. Openbare deelname word dikwels gereduseer tot 'n proseduriële oefening in plaas van 'n substantiewe proses te wees om die publiek in omgewingsbesluitneming te betrek. Dit is derhalwe relevant dat openbare deelname in Omgewingsimpakbeoordeling (algemeen in Engels na verwys as EIA) ondersoek word tot einde wyses vir effektiwiteitsverbetering daar te stel. Die aksent van hierdie tesis is dus 'n vergelyking van openbare deelname in omgewingsbeoordeling in die Verenigde Koninkryk, Suid-Afrika en die Verenigde State van Amerika onderskeidelik. Daar word begin met definiëring van die beginsels van EIA en die konsep "openbare deelname" en 'n ondersoek na integrering van die rationales vir openbare deelname in die omgewingsbeplanningsproses. Kenmerke van elk van die drie bestaande EIA -stelsels word ondersoek aangesien komponente soos die geskikte wetgewende raamwerk, die institusionele raamwerk, die publiek, asook formele en informele openbare deelname-geleenthede in die EIA -proses, die bydraende faktore is tot effektiewe openbare deelname in EIA. Die navorser argumenteer dat openbare deelname aandag verdien omdat die graad van deelname die kwaliteit van die EIA affekteer met voortspruitende effek vir die kwaliteit van besluitneming rakende 'n projek. Breër deelname skep meer inligting en alternatiewe vir voorlegging aan die besluitnemers ter verbetering van die geleentheid vir die ineenskakeling van openbare waardes en regeringsbeleid. Hoewel openbare deelname die EIA-proses mag vertraag, is die werklike doel van EIA-teorie die bewerkstelliging van volhoubare ontwikkeling, ongeag van hoe lank die proses ook mag duur. Die drie EIA-wette bespreek in die vergelykende analise is oënskynlik konsekwent in terme van volhoubare ontwikkeling aangesien hierdie wette gerig is op die inkorporering van omgewingsimpak oorwegings in die besluitnemingsproses. Verder is behoorlik geformuleerde EIA-wette gebaseer op 'n streng standaard van proseduriële onderworpenheid ten einde te verseker dat die verantwoordelike besluitnemers ten volle ingelig is oor die omgewingsgevolge onder hersiening. Die insluiting van die publiek is 'n voorsorg teen swak of polities gemotiveerde besluite en 'n meganisme om openbare bewustheid ten opsigte van die delikate balans tussen ekonomiese en omgewings komprimieë. As dit openlik gedoen word, behoort dit op die lange duur die publiek se vertoue in die besluitnemingsproses te verhoog. Openbare deelname kan tot die behoud van, deur hul betrokkenheid aanspreeklikheid in die openbare en private sektore bydra. Die publiek moet besef dat hulle deur hulle betrokkenheid, individueel of deur middel van belangegroepe, in openbare aangeleenthede wat hulle raak, beluitnemers kan oorreed en omgewingsbeleid help vorm. Die tesis beskou ook die verskillende rolle wat die publiek gedurende die verskillende fases van 'n Omgewingsimpakbeoordelingsproses kan speel, en verken geleenthede vir formele en informele openbare deelname binne elke land se spefieke konteks. Die vergelykende analitiese raamwerk in die tesis bring betekenisvolle variasies binne en tussen die drie lande aan die lig. Oënskynlik verteenwoordig die drie EIA stelsels min of meer volwasse, goed definieërde en formele Omgewingsimpakbeoordelingstelsels. Die VK en Suid Afrika kan leer uit die voorbeeld van die VSA wat meer voldoende voorsienning vir openbare deelname bied as die van die Europese Direktief en van Suid Afrika se EIA Regulasies, in besonder sover dit die vlak en graad van openbare deelname en tegnieke betref

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Trata-se de uma investigaÃÃo avaliativa sobre a construÃÃo social da formaÃÃo profissional na Ãrea de Engenharia nos Cursos de GraduaÃÃo em Engenharia Civil e Engenharia MetalÃrgica, vinculados ao Centro de Tecnologia (CT) da Universidade Federal do Cearà (UFC), que teve como objetivo central compreender como ocorre esta construÃÃo social; foi uma investigaÃÃo predominantemente qualitativa, utilizando como estratÃgia de pesquisa, o estudo de casos mÃltiplos; como tÃcnicas de coleta de dados foram utilizadas, a anÃlise documental, as entrevistas, e o levantamento estruturado; os sujeitos respondentes foram os gestores do CT/UFC, coordenadores, professores, alunos dos cursos investigados e representantes de entidades de classe da Ãrea de Engenharia; como tÃcnica de anÃlise dos dados, foi utilizada a Analise de ConteÃdo, na perspectiva de Franco (2008). Os resultados da pesquisa revelaram que a racionalidade predominante na organizaÃÃo da formaÃÃo profissional dos cursos investigados, à a tÃcnico-instrumental, com indicativos de uma racionalidade crÃtica, manifesta no discurso dos sujeitos da investigaÃÃo, que expressaram que, à dimensÃo tÃcnico-instrumental da formaÃÃo profissional do engenheiro, deve-se associar as dimensÃes humanas e socioambientais, o que possibilitaria a formaÃÃo de um Engenheiro CidadÃo, elemento central da tese orientadora deste estudo, comprovada pelos dados coletados na investigaÃÃo. à um estudo relevante para a Ãrea da EducaÃÃo em Engenharia e, para a Ãrea de AvaliaÃÃo Curricular, que possibilitou a proposiÃÃo de elementos para a organizaÃÃo de uma sistemÃtica de avaliaÃÃo para currÃculos nas engenharias. / It is an evaluative research on the social construction of vocational training in Engineering Courses in Undergraduate Civil Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering, affiliated to the Technology Center (TC) of the Federal University of Cearà (UFC), which aimed to central to understand how this occurs social constitution, it was a predominantly qualitative research, using as a research strategy, the multiple case study, how data collection techniques were used, document analysis, interviews, and structured survey, respondents were subjects managers of the CT / UFC, engineers, teachers, students and representatives of the investigated courses of professional associations in the field of engineering, and technical data analysis, we used the Content analysis, in view of Franco (2008). The survey results revealed that rationality prevails in the curricula of schools surveyed, is the technical-instrumental, signs of a critical rationality, manifested in the discourse of the subjects, who expressed that, in the technical-instrumental training the engineer, should be combined with the human, social and environmental dimensions, which would allow the formation of a Senior Citizen, the central thesis guiding this study, as evidenced by data collected in the investigation. The study is relevant to the area of Engineering Education, and to the area of Curriculum Evaluation, which allowed us to propose elements for the organization of an evaluation system for the engineering curricula.