Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is – using a gender perspective – to give a picture of the experiences of Scania municipal planners dialogue with local residents, as well as how planners work with and think about dialogue. I have based my study on observations from dialogue occasions, statistics that I have collected through surveys at these events and interviews with twelve planners in ten different municipalities. In the essay, I have set out to answer the following questions: How does participation and representation at the dialogue occasions occur? How is the dialogue designed? Are efforts made to broaden representation of participants? Who has influence during dialogue occasions? Do planners reflect on their own role in the dialogue, and how do they see the possibility to influence depending on the form of dialogue? Based on the statistics I have compiled together with literature studies and what the planners have said in interviews, the following can be distinguished: The meetings are usually male dominated and participants of foreign origin virtually non-existent. Young people and parents of young children rarely participate. Most of those attending the meetings hold a university degree and it is usually they who talk. Through the interviews I have been able to discern that planners should actively meet and talk to people in their everyday lives in order to broaden representation. For more people to be heard, traditional meeting forms should be avoided. As an example, participants should instead be divided into smaller groups. Clarity about the outcome of the dialogue and transparency are important as well as a humble and listening attitude from the planners. Also, planners must distribute the word fairly, and guide the questions to discuss what can be affected. By adapting the language to the participants, dialogue is facilitated and planning is made more accessible and inclusive. The dialogue is considered important both because it can make proposals better, it can increase the sense of participation among residents, and contribute to social cohesion. The planners consider themselves to have great power to influence the dialogue. I note that there is a need to develop the dialogue in order to reach more people and create structures to include everyone in the discussions at the dialogue occasions.