Communicative Capacity: Public Encounters in Participatory Theory and Practice

In many societies, participatory democracy has become an unshakable norm and widespread practice, with public professionals and citizens regularly encountering each other in participatory practice to address shared problems. But while the frequency, pace, and diversity of these public encounters has increased, communication in participatory practice remains a challenging, fragile, and demanding undertaking that often runs astray. This unique book integrates empirical, theoretical, and practical material to explore how citizens and public professionals communicate, why this is so difficult, and what could lead to more productive conversations. Drawing on fifty-nine timely, original interviews conducted with public professionals and citizens to make a thorough comparative analysis of cases in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Italy, it shows policy makers, practitioners, students, and academics the value of communicative capacity.