Promise and Perils of Participatory Policy Making

Int Labor Office Staff, Lucio Baccaro, Konstantinos Papadakis

Explores whether civil society organisations have a stronger influence when directly involved in policy making than when trying to exert influence from the outside. Contrasts the theoretical underpinnings of participatory governance and deliberation theories with empirical findings from field research in South Africa. Underlines the roles of mobilization capacities and exit options from participatory structures.