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Sandra Kensen works for several local governments in the Netherlands, helping to facilitate interactions between them and their communities, and doing so in an appreciative manner. This work offers a valuable opportunity to put social constructionism into action within a political context.
At the heart of this approach is the belief that when something matters to citizens, they should be able to influence what is happening or about to happen. This calls for responsive governments—but also a certain respect for those in office. The invitation is to view them as people who take responsibility. It is through this mutual respect that governments and communities can truly co-create their futures. This webinar will include compelling examples from Sandra’s work in the field.
Recently, however, Sandra has noticed a shift: processes in which a local government and (a part of) a community want to develop and implement a plan together are increasingly collapsing into power struggles. When power takes over, returning to genuine co-creation is very difficult. Her analysis points to three growing challenges: a rise in authoritarian tendencies—including among citizens themselves; protest movements that won’t stop protesting; and fierce post-process evaluation debates that negatively affect future collaboration.
During the webinar, Sandra will share one example she is particularly proud of, alongside a case where anti-relational, anti-dialogue, and pro-power tendencies were especially present. In both examples, the focus will be on the interventions made and the dynamics they provoked.
You will be invited to reflect on these stories and share your own experiences with democratic practices. This promises to be an engaging session for anyone interested in community engagement, government responsiveness, and the challenges of co-creation in today’s political climate.
Join us* for this interactive session!
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