Where and How You Sit: How Civil Servants View Citizens' Participation

Citizen participation is disputed; some see it as enhancing democracy while others see it as undermining representative government. Some find it increases administrative efficiency, and others find it creates additional costs. Studies argue that the outcome depends on the value which civil servants place on inclusion. Echoing Miles's law, where you stand depends on where you sit, we discuss how administrative structures and processeshow you sitshape civil servants' values on citizens' participation. Using survey data from more than 1,700 civil servants in the Baltic countries, the article contributes by placing the discussion in the context of extreme social change.