The Promise and Perils of Participatory Policy-Making

Do civil society organizations (e.g. representinggroups like youth, women, migrants,indigenous people, people with HIV/AIDS,or the poor) have a stronger influence whendirectly involved in policy-making, than whenthey are not directly involved, but operateindirectly, by trying to influence policy-makersfrom outside? Does participatory policymakingenhance the efficiency and equityof public policy? Does the best argumentprevail in such participatory processes, asclaimed by deliberation theory, or i