Conflict and dialogue in local communities 1900-SM-2-B3-KiD

During the course, we will examine institutional frameworks, including public policies and local legal acts aimed at developing participatory methods of urban governance, as well as their practical application. We will also focus on cases of social conflict, the social mechanisms behind them, and possible ways of resolving such situations.
The course will begin with a discussion on the idea of deliberative democracy — its potential social benefits as well as the challenges of implementing it in practice. We will then explore various ways of introducing participatory mechanisms in urban management and the difficulties that may arise. Participants will analyze selected local legal acts (such as resolutions on public consultations or participatory budgets) and consider how they are applied in specific urban contexts.
Next, we will look at examples of social conflicts related to participatory processes and study methods and techniques for reaching consensus among diverse social actors — including institutions, organizations, activists, and community groups. A particular type of conflict we will focus on is the NIMBY (“Not In My Back Yard”) phenomenon, which concerns controversies around locating socially important projects that may be burdensome for nearby residents.