Pedagogy of oppressed community engagement : socially inclusive visioning of urban change

It is generally accepted that good practice in policy making and urban change initiatives requires community engagement, where community-based approaches are emphasised as a means of socially inclusive visioning. Communities expect greater transparency, accountability and engagement. This expectation is not always met, with many studies focusing on the perceived tickbox effect - where engagement is a process that has to be undertaken rather than being welcomed and embraced as an integral part of planning for urban change. This paper explores multi-disciplinary concepts and looks at ways these can be linked to community engagement in planning, particularly in larger urban Councils. In this brief glimpse at the wide variety of disciplines that could be drawn on, the paper uses information systems, teaching models, organisational theory and public policy to highlight the potential for altering concepts of community engagement. It concludes that, from these particular examples: the use of double-loop learning could help to empower the community (from organisational theory), collaboration and participation necessitate the co-ordination and exchange of information and knowledge within and between organisations (information systems), the preconception that the authority holds all the knowledge ready to be handed out to the community (teaching models) needs to be challenged, and partnerships are important in empowering people (public policy).