Beyond Digital Participation: Rethinking Engagement in the Digital Age of Urban Planning: Digital Knowledge, Citizen Engagement, and Power in the URBREATH Project within Aarhus Municipality
Translated title
Beyond Digital Participation: Rethinking Engagement in the Digital Age of Urban Planning
Author
Anane, Jabez
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-06-02
Abstract
Cities increasingly use digital tools to involve residents in urban planning. This thesis examines how such tools affect digital knowledge and levels of engagement, using Aarhus Municipality and the URBREATH project as a case. Through a qualitative case study, it analyzes municipal documents, semi-structured interviews with municipal actors, and specific platforms: Deltag Aarhus, SurveyXact, the Aarhus 3D OpenCity model, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and virtual public hearings. Drawing on communicative planning theory, participation theory, and literature on digital knowledge and digital inequality (unequal access and skills), it explores how these tools influence participation, communication, and the translation of citizen experiences into planning knowledge. The findings show that digital tools improve access to information, make plans easier to visualize, and create more ways to engage. However, they mainly support informing and consultation rather than deeper forms of citizen influence on decisions. Differences in digital skills may affect who can participate. Overall, digital technologies do not automatically democratize planning; they reshape existing participation practices, knowledge processes, and power relations within planning institutions.
Byer bruger i stigende grad digitale værktøjer til at inddrage borgere i planlægning. Specialet undersøger, hvordan sådanne værktøjer påvirker viden og deltagelsesniveauer, med Aarhus Kommune og URBREATH-projektet som case. Med et kvalitativt casestudie analyseres kommunale dokumenter, semistrukturerede interviews med kommunale aktører samt konkrete platforme: Deltag Aarhus, SurveyXact, Aarhus 3D OpenCity-modellen, augmented reality (AR)-oplevelser og virtuelle offentlige høringer. Med udgangspunkt i kommunikativ planlægningsteori, deltagelsesteori og litteratur om digital viden og digital ulighed (ulig adgang og kompetencer) belyses, hvordan værktøjerne påvirker deltagelse, kommunikation og omsætning af borgeres erfaringer til planlægningsviden. Resultaterne viser, at digitale løsninger gør det lettere at få information, visualisere planer og skabe flere muligheder for at engagere sig. Men de understøtter primært information og høringer frem for dybere former for borgerindflydelse på beslutninger. Forskelle i digitale kompetencer kan påvirke, hvem der får mulighed for at deltage. Samlet set demokratiserer digitale teknologier ikke automatisk planlægning; de omformer eksisterende deltagelsespraksisser, vidensprocesser og magtforhold i planlægningsinstitutioner.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
Keywords