Understanding participatory governance arrangements in urban politics: idealist and cynical perspectives on the politics of citizen dialogues in Göteborg, Sweden

The purpose of this article is to deepen the understanding of the spread of participatory governance arrangements (PGAs) in urban politics. While PGAs tend to be viewed from a democratization angle, several studies interpret them as part of other logics, such as public management ideals and neoliberal governmentality. By analyzing the policy content, political roots and motives behind the politics of ‘citizen dialogue’ in the city of Göteborg, Sweden, this article provides empirical insight and elaborates on how the turn toward participatory governance can be understood both from an idealist and a cynical perspective.