ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the reasons why public participation is important, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of participatory approach and compares the main types of methods for facilitating public participation. Public participation methods allow people to take a more direct and active role in the decision making process. Pluralists also claim that the public interest or at least some stable equilibrium is achieved through a balance among competing political interest groups. The dominance of political interest groups in government could be reduced by creating a countervailing power either through expanding the power of the legislature or increasing public participation in administrative processes. Targeted publics may include businesses potentially affected, professional organizations and labor unions, public interest groups, various branches and levels of government and the general public. One-time output methods include public presentations, training seminars, newspapers supplements, and radio or television documentaries.
