Achievements of dialogic-participatory procedures- Meta-analytical Pilot Study on Participatory Budgeting and Local Agenda 21 in Germany

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Brigitte Geißel
• Subject Area: Political Science ; African, American and Oceania Studies
• Term: from 2014 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 257469979

Dialog-oriented, participatory procedures have been regarded for a long time either as cure to counter malaises of representative democracy or it was doubted whether these procedures make sense. The planned pilot study will bring empirical evidence to this polarizing, misleading debate and pursues two objectives. First, it aims at providing a systematic analysis to answer the following question: Which procedure had which achievements (micro-, meso-, macro-level) in which context? Such an evidence based study is necessary to refine and to develop theories on deliberative democracy. The pilot study will combine deliberative approaches with psychological perspectives and historical institutionalism. The second objective is a methodological one. The pilot study will examine whether metaanalyses are possible and useful in a research field with predominantly qualitative case studies. Around 100 empirical studies on dialog-oriented, participatory procedures in Germany will be standardized and quantified. We will find out which problems occur and which solutions are feasible. If the metaanalysis turns out to be practical we plan further metaanalyses with international partners.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants