Evaluation of the participative experiences in the catalonian local management: potentials and threatens

Abstract

In this article we reflect on the evaluation of local management and participatory practices, that had been developing as a new forms of deeping democracy. We consider the evaluation as a necessary step of the management process, and also the last stage, a maturity phase, of the participatory perspective. In this context, we evaluate some participatory experiences, driven by local governments and financed by supralocal government. Taking into account some contextual dimensions, as the nature of the municipalities, their participatory history and the type of project that they develop, we analyse the process itself and its results. We see that municipalities have different conceptions of participation and implement, consequently, different strategies to develop these processes, motivating basically associative participation, opening very few lines for interdepartmental cooperation, not using innovative practices when some professionals are missing and, finally, considering the participatory practices marginal ones, instead of structural ones. Even so, taking into account some weaknesses, the analysed processes show us, on the one hand, the extension and diversity of these tools at the local level, and on the other, some important potentialities and opportunities.