ABSTRACT
Consensus is considered a central construct of participatory place branding. Stakeholders are involved in a consultative manner, with the aim to sift out the essence of a place in the form of a coherent identity. However, in related fields, such as public governance, design, architecture and urban planning, consensus is acknowledged as highly problematic. The risk is that self-interested, powerful individuals marginalize weaker groups, and that complex matters are kept under the surface. This chapter challenges the democratic legitimacy of consensus in place branding, claiming that it stands in contrast to the multifaceted and changeable nature of places, to democracy as a space where a multitude of voices are heard, and to participation as a continuous, profound practice. It is the pluralistic nature of places that make them interesting, thus place branding should be understood as a relationship-builder for place development, where critical issues, internal divisions and multiplicity are addressed.
