New urban regions – changing participation? Citizens, parties and civil society

It is often presumed that the development of dynamic urban regions – where mobility and interaction transcend administrative borders – has created new contexts for the citizens’ political participation. The project explores the connections between changing patterns of participation and the changing contexts in which citizens participate. Primarily, the project focuses on the involvement of the citizens. However, civic involvement in political processes is structured by intermediate organizations that connect citizens with the state, especially political parties and voluntary organizations. The project therefore analyses the participation of citizens within three Norwegian urban regions – Stavanger, Bergen and Oslo – as well as the activities of political parties and voluntary organizations within these regions.