Work

Beyond the participation ladder: linking Values–Rules–Knowledge decision contexts to participation quality in China’s territorial spatial planning

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Public participation, often theorized within Western democratic planning traditions, is widely viewed as essential for sustainable development. As planning is simultaneously people-centered and technically intensive, participation is crucial for legitimacy; however, higher positions on participation ladders do not automatically yield better outcomes, especially in technically complex domains dominated by professional expertise. Grounded in stakeholder theory, this study uses an integrated analytical approach combining a participation ladder with the Values-Rules-Knowledge (VRK) framework to examine participation in China’s Territorial Spatial Planning (TSP), a multi-scalar planning system with dense technical content. We examine participation provisions in national laws and regulations, compare them with implementation evidence from publicly accessible governmental feedback and response reports, and conduct an in-depth case study of Yubei District. Results show a persistent gap: participation is increasingly mandated but often organized as late-stage consultation, with limited influence on agenda-setting and weak feedback loops. Participation quality is constrained by centralized decision authority, asymmetric access to planning knowledge, and predominantly one-way communication that offers limited translation of technical content into community-relevant terms. Limited access to information, the technical and long-term nature of TSP, low expectations of influence, and possible norms of deference or risk avoidance may together reduce incentives for sustained engagement. By linking participation levels to VRK-defined decision contexts, the study develops a case-grounded diagnostic logic for identifying context-appropriate pathways to strengthen engagement. This logic may be adapted and tested in other planning systems, but its cross-context validity remains to be established.

Source: Frontiers in Political Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpos.2026.1909094

Authors: Yilong Li, Yu-Ting Tang, Christopher D. Ives

Institutions: University of Nottingham Ningbo China, University of Nottingham, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology

Language: English

Topic: Local Governance and Planning

Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,418