Negotiation as an Interpretive Tool of Conflict Transformation in Deliberative Situations: Learning from the French ‘Public Debate' on the Extension of the Highway La Francilienne

Since the 1970s, many plans have been confronted with urban conflicts and have reached deadlocks. Planners have then come to rethink their practices, seeking to get the public more involved in decision-making. More specifically, new practices of planning giving more room for deliberation have been employed in many countries. Deliberation is indeed expected to allow dialogue between planners and the public, to further mutual understanding and then to improve the quality of the decision and strengthen its legitimacy, avoiding conflicts or their escalation.