Year: 2018
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Government-citizen communication is a prerequisite for the place development and sustainable development.The latest communication theories emphasize the responsibility of local authorities to build communication with local people, to develop safe and sustainable communities, to provide services and infrastructure, to develop horizontal communication networks to promote community development and trust and reduce social distances between social agents.The aim of the article is to explore government-citizen communication in rural municipalities of Latvia from the viewpoint of local citizens.Tasks are related to describing of theoretical statements concerning governance-citizen communication in the light of sustainable development and analysing empirical information.Results of the research indicate average estimation of the communication with local government and the significance of informal communication networks in rural communities.Though municipalities in rural areas use different communication channels, including modern solutions, the situation analysis reveals a certain discrepancy with theoretical concepts and other research results, because rural municipalities in Latvia are more characterized by a "top-down" communication model, which is often based on power relations, is one-sided and formal.Government-citizen communication in rural municipalities of Latvia is regarded as an up-to-date, but insufficiently identified and evaluated tool for the development of citizens' involvement and place development processes.Therefore, further investigation and exploring are necessary to improve understanding of government -citizen communication and establishing of horizontal cooperation ties.
Authors: Zenija Kruzmetra, Dina Bite, Ginta Kronberga
Institution: Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2893370666