The good process or the great illusion? A spatial perspective on public participation in Danish municipal wind turbine planning

This paper explores the nature of public participation in Danish municipal wind power planning. Although the procedure for involving citizens embedded in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure for wind power projects is often praised for its participatory character, the approach is not without problems. In this paper, we identify the limitations and potentials of the public space provided for citizen involvement. By means of Gaventa’s terminology suggesting a continuum of public spaces for participation, the paper shows how the planning process can be approached from different spatial perspectives – each of them illuminating different forms of power, resistance and opportunitie…