Themes in public administration: social participation and innovation

The aim of this book is to contribute to a better understanding of the strategies for promoting innovation in government and strengthening social participation that have emerged in recent years. Social participation has always been seen as a way of giving greater legitimacy to the actions of public authorities, favouring social control of government actions. Indeed, instruments such as participatory budgeting, public policy committees and councils have established themselves as mechanisms for bringing citizens and public authorities closer together. This book aims to highlight the need to align the narratives of innovation in public management and social participation, seeking to reduce the distance between the executive branch and the public service user, which is actually a premise for generating public value for society and the state. Thus, social participation is presented as a way of better understanding citizens' expectations and needs, with a view to developing innovative and more assertive public policies.