Yes we can! Local citizen initiatives: a narrative analysis of influencing factors in the case of Schoonenburg, Ede

Abstract

Since the beginning of the century citizen participation became a highly debated subject again. There is still an ongoing debate on how to approach citizen initiatives and a variety of influencing factors have been found. The aim of this case study is to explain how factors on the individual, neighborhood and government level can influence the process of a local citizen initiative. My findings show that factors on the individual, neighborhood and government level play a different role in each phase of the initiative. Trust and communication transcend the different levels and phases and are central to the process of the local citizen initiative.