This thesis explores the tensions between constitutional forms of democracy and the practice-based understanding of democracy found among ancient Greek and recent post-structural theorists. In drawing from Plato’s discussion of the constitutions of varying political regimes, this thesis hones in on his assertion that the democratic city does not have a single constitution due to the freedom of its citizens. Contemporary understandings of democracy, such as deliberative democratic theory, have largely overlooked the kind of power embodied in democracy by focusing attention on deepening the forms of participation in existing practices of government. By drawing from a practice-based understanding of democracy, this thesis responds to the problems of exclusion produced by statist accounts of democracy. Taking the example of First Nations in Canada, the thesis asks whether new forms of protest, such as Idle No More, embody the spirit of democratic practice outlined by the ancient Greeks. / Graduate

Questions of uncertainty and value conflict are increasingly pervasive challenges confronting policy makers seeking to address the range of environmental problems generated by contemporary technological systems. Yet these questions are ultimately political and moral in nature, and require a framework of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) that is marked by informed and democratic civic governance. Reflecting this, the original, civic purposes of environmental assessment (EA) embraced science and public participation as interdependent elements in the creation of more sustaining forms of human-nature interaction. However, formal models of EA have forsaken meaningful democratic engagement to technique. Based on the instrumentalist assumption that better science automatically leads to better policy, EA has externalised the civic source of political energy that underpins its environmental expertise. Moreover, debates become polarised when science is uncritically imported into the adversarial forums of interest-based politics,so that environmental science is increasingly unable to support political action. I shall argue that the revolutionary potential of SEA to transform the policy process rests upon a recovery of its original, civic purposes. My thesis is that a deeper understanding of the relationship between scientific knowledge and political action is required if SEA is to be rigorous, and also relevant to public concerns. Philosophical pragmatism contributes epistemological resources vital to this task. By situating knowledge in the context of practice, and by recognising the dialogical, judgmental nature of rationality, the practical philosophy of pragmatism reclaims the contextually embedded nature of inquiry. When science is embedded in a wider ethical context, the meaning and purposes of environmental knowledge become central questions of policy. The procedural ethics of both liberal and Habermasian politics cannot address these questions, however, because they relegate questions of the public good to the realm of individual choice. Instead, I argue that public dialogue, guided by a praxisoriented virtue ethics, is required to recover objective environmental goods in the policy process. I also argue that Aristotlean rhetoric, with its focus on the credibility of expertise, is the mode of persuasive argument most appropriate for dialogical public forums. The public philosophy of civic environmental pragmatism is therefore presented as a richer theoretical framework for understanding the contribution of both experts and citizens in the development of environmental knowledge for policy. As a dialogical framework for SEA, civic environmental pragmatism constructively combines the critical/normative and instrumental/descriptive aspects of policy inquiry, both of which are required in the development of socially robust knowledge and politically feasible policy decisions.

Progressing sustainability requires a more networked approach to governance—an approach that connects otherwise segmented policy areas and fosters greater communication among governments, stakeholders and citizens. Of particular importance is the development of discursive spaces in which diverse actors are able to explore the differing knowledge, perspectives and values raised by the challenge of sustainability. This thesis develops the notion of transactional space to bring into focus the processes of reflection, dialogue and mutual learning that effective sustainability discourse involves. In the first part of the thesis I review literature on the theory and practice of participation, deliberation and collaboration, giving particular attention to the ways in which these processes have potential to create space for a depth of exchange and enable participants to engage with the tensions inherent in complex policy issues. While many authors point to the importance of negotiating difference in these processes, the literature reveals that, in practice, this type of exchange tends to be overlooked or underdeveloped. I therefore argue in this thesis that critical, reflective dialogue plays a key role in generating greater understanding among participants, more comprehensive understanding of policy issues, and more integrative and shared approaches, and for these reasons must be actively developed. The case study in the second part of the thesis explores this concern for developing reflective exchange in practice. The formation of the Western Australian Collaboration in 2002—a partnership of non-government organizations from a range of social and environmental perspectives committed to ‘a just and sustainable Western Australia’—represented an opportunity to examine the development of participatory and collaborative processes for sustainability. The thesis presents a case study of the WA Collaboration’s development over 2002-2006 to illustrate the potential such networks and open forums offer for transformative exchange around sustainability. It describes the intensive process conducted with the Steering Committee to cultivate a culture of reflection and learning in the organization, and the practical initiatives the process helped to generate. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the lessons learnt and key principles and practical considerations relevant to fostering transactional space. The WA Collaboration experience and the review of literature reveal a tendency in practice to privilege action and outcomes over reflection and learning. Furthermore, despite the necessity for a depth of engagement with complex policy issues, funding systems and policy environments often fail to allow the time and resources needed to support genuine dialogue and collaborative work. The thesis provides the concept and principles of transactional space as a means of helping to address this imbalance. They are designed to encourage practitioners to create opportunities for critical, reflective dialogue in a range of deliberative settings.

Zugl.: Freiburg (Breisgau), Univ., Diss., 2007

Zugl.: Innsbruck, Univ., Diss., 2007

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, August, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

O presente trabalho versa sobre as audiências públicas do plano diretor participativo (PDP), entendido como instrumento de efetividade da gestão democrática e de exercício do direito à cidade. O objetivo é compreender as potencialidades e as limitações dos dispositivos legais que regem o PDP no que concerne ao papel da coletividade nas audiências públicas, tendo em conta as distorções observadas na prática deste instrumento participativo. Para cumprir o objetivo proposto, foram adotados três procedimentos metodológicos. Primeiramente, interpretar o regime legal das audiências a partir dos conceitos operacionais fornecidos pelo marco teórico adotado, sobretudo: o direito à cidade, a democracia participativa e as propriedades especiais constitucionais. Em segundo lugar, a partir de um método de interpretação sistêmico, investigar as normas aplicáveis às audiências públicas do PDP no contexto das inovações trazidas pela Constituição de 1988, dos tratados internacionais e da legislação infraconstitucional que trata da participação popular para gestão do meio ambiente natural e urbano. Em terceiro lugar, a partir dos relatos obtidos nos bancos de experiências do Ministério das Cidades, avaliar como a norma foi compreendida e aplicada em concreto em 11 cidades da Região Sul do Brasil, de modo a visualizar quais as principais distorções e inconsistências na relação entre os partícipes do processo e a norma. Embora o caráter participativo das audiências públicas represente uma importante conquista histórica, é possível concluir que este instrumento ainda carece de densidade normativa. A falta de abrangência normativa sobre o propósito da audiência e de diretrizes para sua condução facilita distorções e tende a reduzir sua legitimidade política. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-07-15T18:20:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Karine Grassi Malinverni da Silveira.pdf: 1754615 bytes, checksum: 6967f987e79d210028a31f2eaafc5d35 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-15T18:20:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Karine Grassi Malinverni da Silveira.pdf: 1754615 bytes, checksum: 6967f987e79d210028a31f2eaafc5d35 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / El presente trabajo se ocupa de las audiencias públicas del plan maestro participativo (PDP), entendida como un instrumento de gestión democrática y la eficacia del ejercicio del derecho a la ciudad. El objetivo es entender el potencial y las limitaciones de las disposiciones legales que rigen el PDP en relación con el papel de las audiencias públicas colectivas, teniendo en cuenta las distorsiones observadas en la práctica de este instrumento participativo. Para cumplir el objetivo propuesto, fueron adoptados tres procedimientos metodológicos. En primer lugar, interpretar el régimen jurídico de las audiencias públicas desde los conceptos operacionales proporcionados por el marco teórico adoptado, en particular: el derecho a la ciudad, democracia participativa y las constitucionales propiedades especiales. Em segundo lugar, de un método de interpretación sistémica, las normas aplicables a las audiencias públicas del PDP en el contexto de las innovaciones traídas por la Constitución de 1988, los tratados internacionales y la legislación que se ocupa de investigar la participación popular para la gestión del medio ambiente natural y urbano. En tercer lugar, desde los informes obtenidos en los experimentos del Ministerio de las ciudades, evaluar cómo la ley ha sido entendida y aplicada en concreto en 11 ciudades del sur de Brasil, con el fin de mostrar cuáles son las principales distorsiones y contradicciones en la relación entre los participantes del proceso y la norma. Aunque el carácter participativo de las audiencias públicas represente un importante logro histórico, se puede observar una falta de densidad normativa. La falta de densidad normativa sobre el propósito de la audiencia y acerca de las directrices de conducción facilita las distorsiones y tiende a reducir su legitimidad política.

O presente trabalho versa sobre as audiências públicas do plano diretor participativo (PDP), entendido como instrumento de efetividade da gestão democrática e de exercício do direito à cidade. O objetivo é compreender as potencialidades e as limitações dos dispositivos legais que regem o PDP no que concerne ao papel da coletividade nas audiências públicas, tendo em conta as distorções observadas na prática deste instrumento participativo. Para cumprir o objetivo proposto, foram adotados três procedimentos metodológicos. Primeiramente, interpretar o regime legal das audiências a partir dos conceitos operacionais fornecidos pelo marco teórico adotado, sobretudo: o direito à cidade, a democracia participativa e as propriedades especiais constitucionais. Em segundo lugar, a partir de um método de interpretação sistêmico, investigar as normas aplicáveis às audiências públicas do PDP no contexto das inovações trazidas pela Constituição de 1988, dos tratados internacionais e da legislação infraconstitucional que trata da participação popular para gestão do meio ambiente natural e urbano. Em terceiro lugar, a partir dos relatos obtidos nos bancos de experiências do Ministério das Cidades, avaliar como a norma foi compreendida e aplicada em concreto em 11 cidades da Região Sul do Brasil, de modo a visualizar quais as principais distorções e inconsistências na relação entre os partícipes do processo e a norma. Embora o caráter participativo das audiências públicas represente uma importante conquista histórica, é possível concluir que este instrumento ainda carece de densidade normativa. A falta de abrangência normativa sobre o propósito da audiência e de diretrizes para sua condução facilita distorções e tende a reduzir sua legitimidade política. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / El presente trabajo se ocupa de las audiencias públicas del plan maestro participativo (PDP), entendida como un instrumento de gestión democrática y la eficacia del ejercicio del derecho a la ciudad. El objetivo es entender el potencial y las limitaciones de las disposiciones legales que rigen el PDP en relación con el papel de las audiencias públicas colectivas, teniendo en cuenta las distorsiones observadas en la práctica de este instrumento participativo. Para cumplir el objetivo propuesto, fueron adoptados tres procedimientos metodológicos. En primer lugar, interpretar el régimen jurídico de las audiencias públicas desde los conceptos operacionales proporcionados por el marco teórico adoptado, en particular: el derecho a la ciudad, democracia participativa y las constitucionales propiedades especiales. Em segundo lugar, de un método de interpretación sistémica, las normas aplicables a las audiencias públicas del PDP en el contexto de las innovaciones traídas por la Constitución de 1988, los tratados internacionales y la legislación que se ocupa de investigar la participación popular para la gestión del medio ambiente natural y urbano. En tercer lugar, desde los informes obtenidos en los experimentos del Ministerio de las ciudades, evaluar cómo la ley ha sido entendida y aplicada en concreto en 11 ciudades del sur de Brasil, con el fin de mostrar cuáles son las principales distorsiones y contradicciones en la relación entre los participantes del proceso y la norma. Aunque el carácter participativo de las audiencias públicas represente un importante logro histórico, se puede observar una falta de densidad normativa. La falta de densidad normativa sobre el propósito de la audiencia y acerca de las directrices de conducción facilita las distorsiones y tiende a reducir su legitimidad política.

This case study explores how the Integrated Child Impact Analysis (ICIA) tool is used in the urban planning process in the city of Stockholm. The purpose of the study is to understand how the focus on children’s rights can contribute to social sustainability through urban planning projects. It sets out to answer the research questions: (1) how do the ICIA and the perspective of the rights of children contribute to social sustainability? (2) What strengths and weaknesses can be identified with the implementation of ICIA in the cases of Focus Skärholmen, and Gamla Tyresövägen regarding social sustainability? (3) How do the researched cases answer the following phronetic planning research questions? Where are we going; who gains and who loses; is this development desirable; what, if anything, should we do about it? – What should be done to improve the operationalization of the ICIA process for future implementation to promote children’s rights and social sustainability? The study is based on mixed literature regarding social sustainability, deliberative planning, citizenship of children, and health over the life course.The study reviews the ICIA operationalization in the cases of Focus Skärholmen and Gamla Tyresövägen in Stockholm, by viewing the reports published in the process. The results of the study show that (1) the ICIA is a useful tool for social sustainability, as the dialogue process and cities accommodated for children can contribute ‘socially sustainable citizens’. (2) Both cases had their strengths and weaknesses based on their different contexts, regarding scale and how they are communicated. Both cases show that the ICIA process may be subjugated due to the timeframe of a project, whether it is initiated early in the planning stage or lacking participation for stakeholder groups in the deliberation process. (3)The ICIA tool is recognized as a good tool, demonstrating that the rights of children are becoming a priority. It still has room for improvements when being implemented, and requires a reflexive approach that continues to evaluate if the tool will have a long-lasting impact, and not risk to become a part of an insignificant check-list in procedures of urban planning.

I denna vetenskapligaessä undersöker jag hur förskolan arbetar med deliberativ demokrati, dvs i vilken utsträckning barnen har möjlighet att diskutera och debattera frågor för att sedan kunna påverka gemensamma beslut på ett inkluderande sätt. Jag har främst fokus på de barn med begränsat eller obefintligt talspråk, där jag ställer mig frågande till om deliberativ demokratiform är möjlig. I essän beskriver jag två olika händelser från mitt yrkesliv där barn är frusterade av olika anledningar och hur jag som förskollärare bemöter dem och hanterar situationerna. Jag har också gjort en deltagande observation på en förskola som jag besökt, som gav mig mycket stoff och tankar i min text, där jag fick ställa mig lite utanför situationer och observera dessa istället för att själv vara aktiv. John Deweys och Jürgen Habermas idéer om kommunikation och lärandet i samspel lyfter jag för att få en inblick i deliberativ demokrati. Under studiens gång har språkets betydelse, makt och tolkning, förskolans förutsättningar och praktisk kunskap blivit de centrala delarna. Jag reflekterar kring mina erfarenheter, observationer och de valda teoretiska perspektiven. Det har givit mig många infallsvinklar och tankar under resan. Jag har blivit mer medveten om hur dominerande det individualistiska tänkandet är inom förskolan och att vi tappar den gemensamma tanken och känslan för varandra. Begreppen "motstånd" och "obemärkt styrning", som förskoleforskaren Klara Dolk använder sig av, har gjort ett starkt avtryck hos mig och understryker vilken kraft och tolkningsföreträde vi pedagoger har. Vidare öppnar jag upp för reflektion om utbildningen ska ha samma styrdokument från ett års ålder till sex år, eller om den måste förtydligas och anpassas till olika utvecklingsnivåer. En förskola för alla, men där alla kan bli sitt bästa jag i relation till andra.