ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we want to look at specific and practical ways that public agencies committed to the New Public Service can work positively with citizens (broadly defined) and with nongovernmental organizations to achieve a higher level of citizen engagement. The process of citizen engagement has been defined as the “ability and incentive for ordinary people to come together, deliberate, and take action on problems or issues that they themselves have defined as important” (Gibson 2006, 2). In an era in which there seem to be more enraged citizens than engaged citizens, this may seem an idealistic goal. But many public agencies at all levels have developed significant and important ways of engaging their citizens-with very positive results.
