Modes of involvement: citizen participation in the Norwegian health and planning sector

Abstract This study explores the varying patterns and dynamics of citizen engagement across policy fields and participation formats. It zooms in on the Norwegian context and focuses on those two fields where citizen involvement is most pronounced, that is the health sector and the planning field. Based on in-depth empirical analysis, it identifies three distinct modes of public involvement that differ in terms of key actors, influence channels, state–society relations, citizens’ roles, and the normative status of their claims. The study finds that the traditional corporatist mode is still prevalent in both health and planning, but complemented by the peer support worker-mode in health, and one-sided information exchange between civil servants and citizens in urban planning. It uncovers the underlying logics shaping the different participation patterns and examines the preconditions and interrelations between social diversity and policy impact in each mode, thereby addressing two of the most persistent shortcomings of citizen engagement. The empirical analysis draws on interviews with civil servants, stakeholders, and researchers, as well as documents like laws, policy guidelines, and committee reports. It builds on existing research on participatory governance, policy development, and knowledge-based policy-making, and it engages with and refines democratic theory with a focus on participation, representation, and inclusion.