The Mechanics of Virtue: Lessons on Public Participation from Implementing the Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands

Date

2012

Authors

Van der Heijden, Jeroen
ten Heuvelhof, Ernst

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Inc

Abstract

Public participation is often presented as a virtue (a normative good), but the strategy comes with its own mechanical flaws. Policy debates and the literature have for a long time been dominated by this idea of public participation as a virtue, but recently the literature has become more critical, addressing the instrumental and substantive aspects of public participation. This article engages with and adds to the literature by presenting the use of public participation in implementing the European Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands. The study traces and discusses a number of mechanistic issues related to public participation.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: European Union; local participation; participatory approach; policy approach; strategic approach; water planning; Netherlands Interest group representation; Policy making; Public participation; Water policy

Citation

Source

Environmental Policy and Governance

Type

Journal article

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

Open Access

License Rights

Restricted until