Understanding institutional dynamics in participatory governance: how rules, practices and narratives combine to produce stability or diverge to create conditions for change

ABSTRACT Participatory governance is institutionalised to the extent that it shapes the behaviour of decision-makers and citizens. Participation policies that do not change established behaviour have limited, if any, impact. But what are the mechanisms whereby participatory governance becomes institutionalised? Using a case study of Barcelona, the paper analyses the relationship between formal rules, informal practices and narratives. Drawing on 90 interviews, the paper argues that in the context of neoliberal austerity formal rules proved surprisingly resilient, but informal practices and narratives became increasingly dis-aligned as civil society actors developed innovative approaches and more insistent demands. These novel informal practices and narratives subsequently underpinned the renaissance in participatory governance associated with the 2015-2019 Barcelona en Comú government. The paper makes theoretical and practical contributions regarding the drivers of stability and change. While formal rules may endure over time, dynamism in participatory governance depends upon the relationship between rules, practices and narratives.