Participatory drainage: Infrastructural citizenship in Montreal’s back alleys
研究了蒙特利尔两个后巷排水项目中公民参与绿色基础设施的实践，发现官僚程序和狭窄的参与定义反而压制了居民的非正式贡献和地方知识，揭示了参与式项目去政治化公民身份并削弱基层实践的矛盾。
This article examines citizen participation in green infrastructure initiatives in two distinct back-alley drainage projects in Montreal. It studies how planners and city officials attempt to foster “citizen participation” in climate change adaptation, but often inadvertently stifle it through bureaucratic processes and narrow definitions of participation. Drawing on the concept of infrastructural citizenship, the study reveals a disconnect between official expectations and residents’ everyday practices, whose informal contributions and local knowledge are undervalued within formal project frameworks. The analysis highlights how participatory urban projects can depoliticize citizenship and conceal grassroots practices, ultimately undermining project success. By mobilizing critical infrastructure studies, the article sheds light on the power dynamics and governance challenges inherent in participatory drainage, offering insights into the complexities of citizen involvement in urban infrastructure.