TY - JOUR
T1 - Democracy and prostitution
T2 - deliberating the legalization of brothels in the Netherlands
AU - Wagenaar, Hendrik
PY - 2006/5
Y1 - 2006/5
N2 - This article discusses democratic deliberation as a core element of public administration in today's decentered world of governance. The juxtaposition of hierarchy and deliberation in policy networks is illustrated with the case of the legalization of brothels in the Netherlands. The case shows that despite distrust and conflict, the actors managed, through deliberative elements in negotiations, to attain the transformation of the prostitution sector into a regular business sector. However, the use of a deliberative implementation strategy did not preclude the emergence of negative, unintended consequences. The success or failure of the deliberative process is sensitive to its design, particularly the issue of who is included and excluded. A deliberative, collaborative approach to policy implementation has the potential to optimize social and cognitive capital. This is seen as a precondition for the constant, painful redesign of policies in the face of conflict and contingency that characterize successful policy implementation.
AB - This article discusses democratic deliberation as a core element of public administration in today's decentered world of governance. The juxtaposition of hierarchy and deliberation in policy networks is illustrated with the case of the legalization of brothels in the Netherlands. The case shows that despite distrust and conflict, the actors managed, through deliberative elements in negotiations, to attain the transformation of the prostitution sector into a regular business sector. However, the use of a deliberative implementation strategy did not preclude the emergence of negative, unintended consequences. The success or failure of the deliberative process is sensitive to its design, particularly the issue of who is included and excluded. A deliberative, collaborative approach to policy implementation has the potential to optimize social and cognitive capital. This is seen as a precondition for the constant, painful redesign of policies in the face of conflict and contingency that characterize successful policy implementation.
KW - Deliberative democracy
KW - Policy implementation
KW - Policy networks
KW - Prostitution policy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645503106&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0095399705285991
DO - 10.1177/0095399705285991
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:33645503106
SN - 0095-3997
VL - 38
SP - 198
EP - 235
JO - Administration and Society
JF - Administration and Society
IS - 2
ER -