Content №2 от 2021
Practices of Public Participation in Local Self-Governance: Case Studies of Siberian Villages
Rural local self-governance as an independent political institution shows clear signs of degradation, its efficiency and capacity decreasing markedly over time. With local administrations having fewer powers and financial resources, destructive phenomena and processes are taking shape: rural infrastructure facilities are deteriorating, and negative demographic trends are emerging. This study intends to assess how these trends can be counteracted with rural residents self-organizing, to identify and classify the forms of public initiative participation in local self-governance. Having generalized the results of sociological research and presented them as case studies of rural settlements in Novosibirsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai, we managed to determine the main types of formal and informal public participation practices in initiating projects aimed at territorial improvement, social support, and other local issues.
We conclude that local authorities’ insufficient performance, poor resource endowment, and unpreparedness for dialogue with the population encourage informal types of public participation in the life of the village. Such informal practices can draw local communities closer and help not only preserve but improve rural settlements. If the rural population is actively involved in various forms of public participation, it may partially compensate for the local government defects and counteract negative trends pertinent to sustaining the village.
