Democratising futures, reinvigorating democracy? Participatory futures as a tool for citizen voice and influence in local decision-making

Trowbridge, Hayley 2024. Democratising futures, reinvigorating democracy? Participatory futures as a tool for citizen voice and influence in local decision-making. Foresight: The journal of future studies, strategic thinking and policy 10.1108/FS-09-2023-0195

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Abstract

Purpose: In recent years, democracies across Europe have been challenged in ways this paper has not witnessed on such a scale for generations. It is therefore unsurprising that innovations within democracy are emerging, particularly in terms of participatory and deliberative practices. Focusing specifically on local democracy and decision-making, this paper aims to examine ways of democratising future studies as a means of enhancing citizen participation in democracy. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws upon the growing body of work under the umbrella term of “participatory futures” as a way of contextualising and critiquing the “real-world” application and empirical testing of methods within this field by local municipalities. Findings: It identifies the importance of supporting the development of futures literacy in citizens, public administration officials and political and strategic leaders. The paper demonstrates how broadening the application of existing foresight techniques through their confluence with participatory action research (PAR) principles can create spaces that reignite people’s social imagination. This in turn enables citizens and those working in local municipalities to engage in dialogue about the future. Originality/value: The paper examines the results of a PAR study, in which innovative participatory future methods were tested as tools for enhancing citizen involvement in local decision-making. Through this, it outlines how foresight practices can be democratised, supporting local democracy to thrive, and identifies future research and practice directions within the field.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Emerald
ISSN:	1463-6689
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	2 September 2024
Date of Acceptance:	August 2024
Last Modified:	06 Oct 2024 23:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/171225

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