WHY HIGH PARTICIPATORY IDEALS FAIL IN PRACTICE: A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH TO PUBLIC NONPARTICIPATION IN EIA

This paper explores the uninvestigated phenomenon of citizens' reasons for nonparticipation in EIA. By adopting a bottom-up approach, based on the assumption that citizens are rational actors who are able to provide reasons for their choice to participate or not to participate, it complements traditional public participation research focusing on structural barriers to and socio-economic predictors of participation. The reasons citizens provide for nonparticipation are described and it is discussed how the design and management of public participation schemes can be improved to better meet the high participatory ideals of EIA expressed by professionals and academics in standards of good practice.