A Qualitative Study on the Meaning of Participation in Public Administration: A Case Study of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy

This qualitative study investigates how local project managers interpret the concept of participation when implementing participatory processes under the Emilia-Romagna (Italy) regional framework. Drawing on 41 in-depth interviews with project managers and key personnel from participatory initiatives funded between 2020 and 2024, the research examines how these actors interpret the concept of participation and how their views align with regional objectives. Thematic analysis reveals that participation is widely viewed as a process of shared responsibility, co-decision, empowerment, and active citizenship. Participants described participation as both a political and relational act, involving co-responsibility, information exchange, and commitment to the common good. While many embraced a transformative vision of participation, others highlighted institutional constraints and the risk of participation being reduced to rhetoric. Additionally, gendered differences emerged in the way participants framed participation, with women emphasizing relational and care-based dimensions, and men focusing more on agency and power. The findings suggest that participation, when meaningfully enacted, is seen as a driver of democratic engagement and institutional trust, but it requires a sustained effort to go beyond procedures and enable genuine collaboration between institutions and citizens.