Abstract
An examination of the 'Wicked Problem' of public participation as a necessary core commitment for local governance as enmeshed within the dominance of impenetrable local government structures. This explores power as concentrated in elites, power as dispersed throughout society and power as a negotiation between interests. This was a reflective process while undertaking PhD research using participative action research, participant observation of events, document analysis and the development of concept mapping. A core outcome was noting the importance of civil society as decision-maker, without which the cost to the quality of institutional decisions is profound in not acknowledging the reality and power of civil society.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Tackling Wicked Problems Through the Transdisciplinary Imagination. |
| Editors | Valerie Brown, John Harris, Jacqueline Russell |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publisher | Earthscan |
| Pages | 204-213 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781844079254 |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |