I spåren av covid-19-pandemin har det på global såväl som lokal nivå debatterats om pandemins konsekvenser och inskränkningar på demokratiska principer. Demokratiska rättigheter för medborgardeltagande som demonstrationer, politiska debatter och att rösta i val har genom pandemin begränsats och genomförs i största möjliga mån på distans genom digital teknik. Även inom samhällsplaneringen är medborgardeltagandet viktigt för den representativa demokratin och har likt andra verksamheter tvingats till omställning för att fungera på distans. Frågan är bara hur den här omställningen ser ut och vad den innebär för medborgardeltagandet inom samhällsplaneringen. I den här studien undersöker vi därför hur omställningen i kristid ser ut på kommunal nivå ur ett styrningsperspektiv. I studien berörs även vilka konsekvenser omställningen resulterat i för medborgardeltagandet. Den tidigare forskning som presenteras berör framförallt digitaliseringens inverkan på medborgardeltagandet och kommer tillsammans med studiens resultat ligga till grund för den kommande analysen. Metoden som använts i studien är av kvalitativ art och i form av intervjuer med kommunala tjänstemän.  Baserat på den tidigare forskningen resulterar vår analys av det empiriska materialet i att det framför allt är i den interaktiva kommunikationen mellan planerare och medborgare som omställningen är som störst. Analysen visar också att omställningen från en fysisk till en digital deltagandeprocess främst handlar om ett byte av kommunikationskanaler snarare än några direkta förändringar i arbetsprocesser. En slutsats av detta är alltså att större strukturomvandlingar krävs för att processerna för medborgardeltagande och graden av medborgarinflytande ska förändras. Baserat på detta kan man även dra slutsatsen att de demokratiska rättigheter som omfattar medborgardeltagande inte har äventyrats som en konsekvens av covid-19-pandemin. / In the wake of covid-19, consequences of the pandemic and restrictions on democratic principles have been debated on a global as well as local level. The democratic rights for public participation such as demonstrations, political debates and voting in elections have been limited by the pandemic and are instead implemented as far as possible through digital technology. Public participation in community planning is an important aspect for representative democracies and like other municipal services it has been forced to change in order to function remotely. The question we raise is what this change looks like and what it means for citizen participation in community planning.In this study, we therefore examine what the transition in times of crisis looks like on a municipal level from a governance perspective. The study also touches on the consequences of the readjustments for citizen participation. The previous research that is presented primarily concerns the impact of digitalisation on citizen participation and will together with the results of the study form the basis for the forthcoming analysis. The method used in the study is of a qualitative nature and in the form of interviews with municipal officials.Based on previous research, our analysis of the empirical material shows that it is primarily in the interactive communication between planners and citizens that the change is greatest. The analysis also shows that the transition from a physical to a digital participation process is primarily about a change of communication channels rather than direct changes in the working process. One conclusion from this is that major structural changes are required for citizen participation and the degree of citizen influence to change. Based on this it can also be concluded that the democratic rights that include public participation have not been jeopardized as a consequence of the covid-19 pandemic.

With the aim of assessing how to develop a socially sustainable mobility, this thesis applies a method of PPGIS (Public Participation Geographic Information System). The method of PPGIS was conducted through a survey aimed towards people who frequently visit the studied area (e.g., living, working, or studying there). The geographical delimitation of the study is set to Lindholmen, Gothenburg and focuses on the ongoing development of realizing the visions of the River City project (Gothenburg, 2012). Mobility in this work is understood as something more than just movement from point A to B and is mainly approached with support from Kaufmann’s (2002) theory of motility – the capacity to be mobile. Mobility that facilitates individual’s constraints and increases people’s motility is considered as socially sustainable. The concept of public participation is central, highlighting the importance of local knowledge and involvement in decision-making (Berman, 2017). The local knowledge, from contributors, was used as the basis of analysis for assessing mobility development. The participatory approach aims to improve neighbourhood quality, and to strengthen social inclusion. The PPGIS-process generated 173 responses. Recurring themes were suggestions for bicycle infrastructure and expanding the ferry lines. Negative inputs revolved around traffic volumes and construction. Future development in Lindholmen could focus on the attitudes and opinions of the contributors. The thesis concludes with a discussion on the collected data, stating that to improve what contributors complained about or asked for – in terms of traveling to, from, and within the area – is to take a step toward a more inclusive and accessible mobility. The contributions lie in the gathered empirical material, with specific suggestions to the mobility development of Lindholmen. Furthermore, the general debate on considering the needs and wishes of a place’s users highlights benefits with mobility development through public participation that should be considered in future projects or academic works.

Background: Cities worldwide are growing fast, and so is solid waste production, which calls for different stakeholders to come together and find creative ways to deal with urban growth and waste. This study explores how Augmented Reality (AR) could enhance public participation in public spaces and deal with solid wastein Mozambique’s capital city, Maputo. The study draws on material semiotics, detournement theorists and study participants’ views gathered through a questionnaire on urban public spaces in the city to make a case for AR technologies to enhance public engagement. Methodology: The study received responses from 57 participants (n=57). Inspired by theparticipants’ answers, Detournement theory, and AR activism, an AR experience called the Trash Snail to symbolise the slowness of the municipalityin gathering solid waste and properly managing it and the waste’s agency in shaping life in public spaces was created. Results: Three participants placed and experienced the Trash Snail in public spaceswith poorly managed solid waste. They also responded to two surveys, one before the experience with AR and the other after experiencing AR. The results were screenshots depicting the Trash Snail co-habitating with waste from human consumption and modes of living in contemporary Maputo and residents’ opinions about public spaces in Maputo. Conclusions: Drawing on those materials, Detournement theory and AR activism, the study concluded that AR, rather than just relaying computer-generated graphics information onto the real world, is best understood as an agent that shapes the users’ relations with it. AR has the potential to enhance public engagement in public spaces and in dealing with solid waste issues in Maputo. However, structural challenges related to the digital divide and financial shortcomings are limiting factors that one needs to consider when employing AR in Maputo and similar contexts. On a more extrapolative note, the study argues waste in public spaces needs to be seen as more than an administrative and technical problem, but one that is deeply embedded in lifestyles and accelerated consumption.

Segregation har på senare tid blivit ett ämne som allt mer diskuterats inom den svenska politiska debatten. Regeringen har arbetat fram en strategi för att motverka en ökad segregation, med vision att minska klyftorna och skapa ett tryggare Sverige. En aspekt som regeringen fokuserar på är att öka demokratiseringen i planeringsprocesser, där ett tillvägagångssätt för att öka medborgarinflytande är medborgardialoger. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilken roll medborgarinflytande har i planeringsprocessen, för att öka demokratiseringen i samhället, med fokus på delaktighet i segregerade områden. Då framtidens invånare är dagens ungdomar, kommer studien vidare att titta specifikt på ungdomars delaktighet i stadsplaneringsprocesser. Vi har valt att basera vår studien på två frågeställningar; Hur ser medborgardeltagande respektive medborgarinflytandet ut i segregerade områden? Hur ser ungdomars deltagande i planeringsprocesser ut idag och vilka initiativ tas för att öka deras inflytande? För att kunna besvara våra frågeställningar har vi valt att göra en litteraturstudie baserat på tidigare forskning kring medborgardeltagande och segregation, samt en fallstudie av stadsplaneringsprojekt Järvalyftet. Vi har även valt att hålla intervjuer för att samla empiriskt data, dessa utförda med Moa Tunström, Nazem Tahvilzadeh och Sofia Wiberg. Utifrån studien kan det konstateras att begreppet segregation per definition, inte är ett problem. Problemet ligger i konsekvenserna som följer, däribland diskriminering och arbetslöshet. Studien pekar på att det finns ett medborgardeltagande i de segregerade områdena, men i lägre utsträckning än i områden med invånare av en högre socioekonomisk klass. En slutsats baserad på Järvalyftet är att medborgardeltagande inte nödvändigtvis behöver leda till medborgarinflytande. Det är vid övergången mellan deltagande och inflytande som missförstånd kan uppstå, då medborgarna och involverade aktörer kan ha olika uppfattning om medborgarnas inflytande. Ett ökat intresse hos ungdomar gentemot stadsplanering måste skapas för att öka deras inflytande. Genom att öppna fler forum där de uppmuntras att uttrycka sina åsikter om planeringsfrågor, ökar både intresse och engagemang. / Segregation has recently been a subject of matter in the political debate. The government has been working on a strategy to actively work against increased segregation, in hopes of reducing the gap and creating a safer Sweden. One particular aspect that the government is focusing on is to increase democratization in the planning process, where one approach to increase the public participation is through citizen consultation. The purpose of this study is to examine what part public participation plays in the planning process in order to increase the democratization of society, focusing on segregated areas. Further, since today's young adults are the inhabitants of the future, the report will also analyze this generation’s participation in urban planning processes. The study aims to answer the below two questions; What is the extent of public participation and public influence in segregated areas? What is the extent of young adults participation in the planning process today and how can the engagement be encouraged throughout the planning process? In order to answer the questions posed we have decided to carry out a literature study based on previous research about public participation and segregation, as well as a case study about the city planning project Järvalyftet. We have also chosen to hold interviews to collect empirical data, these with Moa Tunström, Nazem Tahvilzadeh and Sofia Wiberg. A significant conclusion which is drawn is the fact that the term segregation per definition is not a problem, but rather that the problem lies in the negative consequences that follow. The study implies that there is an existing public participation in segregated areas, but not in the same extent as in areas with a higher socioeconomic class. Another conclusion based on Järvalyftet, is that public participation doesn't necessarily lead to public influence. Misunderstanding can occur in the transition between public participation and public influence, since citizens and involved stakeholders have different ideas about public influence. An increased interest among young adults towards urban planning needs to be created to increase their influence. By opening more forums where they are encouraged to express their opinions on planning issues, both interest and commitment will increase.

A reform to a digitized public sector is underway. The purpose of this is to offer a simpler, more open, and more efficient service to all citizens. To create solutions that meet all the needs of citizens, public participation should be included in the development process. Public participation requires different competencies and means different things depending on the configuration of participation that takes place. The study examined how common public participation is, how those who work with participation interpret this, and what participation looks like in practice. In the study, a questionnaire was used to collect quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence in the form of likert-type scales and free text responses which were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The result showed that participation from the public in digitization projects is relatively uncommon, where the user and citizen configurations were the most common. There were tendencies for the configurations to be used casually without being defined. About the same number of respondents felt that their design process most strongly related to the statement “design for people” as “design with people”, and the methods of participation used were most strongly linked to the customer and user configurations, within which participation often had power in decision-making. / En reform till en digitaliserad offentlig sektor är pågående. Syftet med detta är att erbjuda en enklare, öppnare och effektivare service till alla medborgare. För att kunna skapa lösningar som tillgodoser medborgares alla behov bör ett offentligt deltagande inkluderas i utvecklingsprocessen. Offentligt deltagande kräver olika kompetenser och innebär olika saker beroende på vilken konfiguration av deltagande som äger rum. I studien undersöktes hur vanligt förekommande offentligt deltagande är, hur de som arbetar med deltagande tolkar detta, och hur deltagandet ser ur i praktiken. I studien användes en enkät för att samla in kvantitativ och kvalitativ empiri i form av likert-typ-skalor och fritextsvar vilka analyserades med hjälp av deskriptiv statistik och tematisk analys. Resultatet visade att deltagande från allmänheten inom digitaliseringsprojekt är relativt ovanligt, där konfigurationerna användare och medborgare var vanligast förekommande. Det fanns tendenser till att konfigurationerna användes slentrianmässigt utan att definieras. Det var ungefär lika många respondenter som ansåg att deras designprocess starkast relaterade till påståendet ”design för folk” som ”design med folk”, och metoderna för deltagande som användes hade starkast koppling till konfigurationerna kund och användare, inom vilka deltagande ofta hade makt i beslutsfattande.

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La ratificación del Acuerdo de Escazú en Perú es un tema relevante y discutido, ya que contiene implicancias importantes con relación a la protección del medio ambiente y los derechos humanos en temas ambientales, siendo formalmente conocido como el Acuerdo Regional sobre el Acceso a la Información, la Participación Pública y el Acceso a la Justicia en Asuntos Ambientales en América Latina y el Caribe. El cual busca fomentar la transparencia de los Estados parte a brindar acceso a la información ambiental, acreditando que los ciudadanos obtengan datos relevantes. A su vez, fortalece la participación pública y activa de la sociedad en la formulación de políticas, proyectos y decisiones que afecten su entorno. Finalmente, garantiza a ciudadanos y comunidades afectadas por los daños ambientales tengan acceso a recursos legales y mecanismos de justicia efectivos, asegurando la protección de sus derechos, siendo estas algunas de las razones que respaldan la necesidad de ratificar el Acuerdo de Escazú en Perú. Por ello, puede tener un impacto positivo en cuanto a su compromiso con la protección del medio ambiente y los derechos humanos, encerrando un deber legal del país para cumplir con sus disposiciones, lo cual, puede estar sujeto a debate y consideración por parte de las autoridades gubernamentales y el Congreso, siendo un paso significativo hacia un enfoque más integral y sostenible en la gestión de los recursos naturales y la protección del medio ambiente. Para ello, se utilizó el método cualitativo, mediante recopilación documental, demostrando que sí cumplió los resultados esperados. / The ratification of the Escazu Agreement in Peru is a relevant and discussed issue, as it contains important implications in relation to the protection of the environment and human rights in environmental matters, being formally known as the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean. It seeks to promote transparency in the States Parties to provide access to environmental information, ensuring that citizens can obtain relevant data. At the same time, it strengthens the public and active participation of society in the formulation of policies, projects and decisions that affect their environment. Finally, it guarantees that citizens and communities affected by environmental damage have access to legal remedies and effective justice mechanisms, ensuring the protection of their rights, these being some of the reasons that support the need to ratify the Escazú Agreement in Peru. Therefore, it can have a positive impact in terms of its commitment to environmental protection and human rights, enclosing a legal duty of the country to comply with its provisions, which can be subject to debate and consideration by government authorities and Congress, being a significant step towards a more comprehensive and sustainable approach in the management of natural resources and environmental protection. For this purpose, the qualitative method was used, by means of documentary compilation, demonstrating that it did meet the expected results.

The need for public participation in the development of policies, programmes or actions has been widely accepted by both government and private sectors because of the benefits of such involvement. Involving the public in the development of any policy, programme or action is, however, a daunting task. Public involvement in the development of a policy or action often leads to protest, legal litigation, criticism and delay in carrying out the project. The main objectives of this research are to examine the process of public participation in the Gautrain project and to interrogate how public involvement in the decision-making processes of environmental concerns can be improved. A quantitative study was conducted to describe and explore the process of public participation in the Gautrain environmental impact assessment procedure. The purposive sampling method was used. Thereafter, the data generated was analysed using statistical tools such as charts, tables and the Wilcoxon Mann Whitney U test to examine the similarities and differences in the response patterns of the public and the project proponent. Cronbach alpha statistical methodology was also used to test the reliability of the measurement. The findings are discussed in relation to the objectives of the study and research hypotheses. The results indicate that (1) the public were not involved early enough during the project planning and design phases; (2) adequate information was not provided to the public; and (3) public input does not have much impact on decisionmaking processes. The study does, however, indicate that the process has enhanced the participants’ learning and that the process of participation has improved in recent time as compared to the 2002-2003 periods. The study concludes by providing relevant solutions and recommendations. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)