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Developing Networks and Alliances: the freedom and opportunity to develop networks, alliances and organising capacity through participation

Democratic agency requires the opportunity, resources and ability for citizens to develop horizontal and vertical associations, alliances and relationships. Developing networks and alliances is foundational for building trust and supporting accountability (Williams 2004: 97). It builds capacity for collective action through horizontal relationships (Amezcua-Aguilar and Ángeles Espadas-Alcázar 2023: 57) and long-term vertical relationships with institutions, associations and other actors, which can ultimately enhance material outcomes for marginalised groups (Deveaux 2021: 153; Masungo 2024; Ibrahim 2006). Developing networks is key not only for participants themselves, but also for organisers seeking to design and implement inclusive and consequential participation. All seven INSPIRE pilots spent up to a year developing relationships with relevant partners, stakeholders and decision-makers, highlighting the necessary time commitments for relational groundwork.

Downstream Enablers of Developing Networks in INSPIRE

„ Working with existing networks and community organisations can help ensure that participation is connected to existing efforts and initiatives on related topics or with affected communities, supporting participation’s integration into, and building of, networks and alliances.

„ Creating opportunities for direct connections between citizens and officials helps to build trust, relationships and links of accountability. Methods such as legislative theatre facilitate these interactions.

„ Careful attention to the choice and dynamics of the participatory space highlights how power relations are (re)produced, contested, and (re)configured within networks (Salinas Lanao 2007).