Citizen voice and participation in local governance: Perspectives from Nicaragua

Howard, Joanna

Abstract

This article examines the case for the opening up of new spaces for citizen voice in local governance, through synergy between political party leaders and social movement leaders. Through case study evidence from two municipalities in Nicaragua, it is found that where the relationship between political party and social movement leaders has been very close, the potential for disadvantaged citizens to have voice in local governance is diminished. A key factor that emerges is that citizens should have unmediated access to such new arrangements for local governance, with social movements and political parties playing a facilitative role. © Oxford University Press and Community Development Journal 2004; all rights reserved.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2004
• Journal: Community Development Journal
• Print ISSN: 0010-3802
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2656
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 224-233
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsh018
• Keywords: citizen voice, participation, local governance, Nicaragua
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1059105
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsh018
• Additional Information: Additional Information : An early version of this article was presented at a conference on local democracy in Bristol, 2003. It draws on M Phil research, and informed a successful bid to ESRC for a current £190,000 international research project on non-governmental public action.