Climbing fences: formal and informal participations in an urban Dutch neighborhood

This study examines a local climate adaptation policy in a deprived neighborhood of The Hague, The Netherlands, questioning its participatory claims. It explores how citizens’ diverse participations manifest in this context. The goal is to offer an alternative approach for enhancing participation in urban climate adaptation and expand the possibilities for involvement. By focusing on a neighborhood square, the study reveals insights into participatory dynamics. Through interpretive, discursive methods, it introduces the concept of “pluralistic discursive space” and highlights the underexplored potential of discursive research in complex societal issues. Additionally, it proposes a multiperspectival approach to discourse analysis. Ultimately, this research aims to deepen the understanding of participation in policy and contribute to improving participation in climate adaptation initiatives in deprived urban neighborhoods.