Some notes for a critical psychosocial analysis of participatory processes at the local level: social representations and empowerment

Abstract

The objective of this article is to point out some concepts and critical points of view from social and community psychology that can complement the effects of participatory processes on public policies. From a formal view, participatory processes improve democracy as well as the effectiveness of public policies, and strengthen and empower individuals, groups and communities. But empirical evidence doesn’t always show these assumptions. In view of the lack of connectivity between participatory processes and their implementation in public policies, we suggest complementing this debate with some psychosocial and community concepts. This would help to join the political and community dimensions that make up a participatory process, in addition to the responses provided from political studies. The analysis of building participatory experiences, in which identities and links are woven together in each case, shows us the social representations of participation, and the aspects related to power among actors. These are psychosocial processes that can account for the critical awareness of these processes and the conditions under which they occur and, in short, of their effects on public policies.