Building on Recent Experiences and Participatory Planning in Serbia Toward a New Normal

Abstract

The chapter aims to contribute to the understanding of the transformative potentials of participation in planning, particularly about underpinning principles and existing models of participation, including those that affect planning professionals’ responsiveness in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The key research question is: what kinds of transformations occurred through new and alternative forms of participation in urban planning in Serbia within the last decade, and how does participation inform the future of cities in a time of uncertainty during the crisis? The research draws on the theoretical framework of critical pragmatism for understanding the micro-dynamics of practitioners’ engagement. It focuses on the experiences of planning professionals in applying non-mandatory, alternative participation practices during the early stage of the planning process. They take the form of small, pragmatic steps and practices of planning professionals that should contribute to effective urban governance on specific challenges. However, the normalization of those practices is just too earlier to evaluate if it would persist after the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.