A case study on the problematic stratification of residents in promoting participatory community design and development

'Popular participation' has become a cliche used in undertaking community design and development. A variety of participatory tools and techniques have been devised and applied to the local exercises. However, even in the local communities where active group of residents, being authorized by the neighborhood council and provided with administrative supports, carries out forward-looking activities, still there largely exist 'ordinary' populaces who don't have positive participation in the activities. This study, taking a case of 'good' rural community, has made observations concerning the above- mentioned disintegrated situation. The study site is an agricultural community named Shinoba-ku, which is located in Kakegawa City of Shizuoka Prefecture and was awarded a 2002 Community Activity Prize. In this village, while local leaders put into practice such activities as self regulation of land use, countryside forest management, and putting up hand-made street signs, a majority of the populace have nothing to do with these activities. Under present conditions, the local community confronts with serious communication problems that impede effective and efficient decision making, and social dilemma situations in which private and communal interests are at odds have appeared. The dynamics of the situations are such that the cooperative solutions can never be gained for the good of village renewal in accordance with the existing landscape. In order to enhance chances for successive promotion of community design and development, this study examines the relevance of following two countermeasures; 1) establishment and operation of village web site, and 2) enlargement of 'new public space' where collective actions towards creating new lifestyles and public deliberations on social matters are organized voluntarily. The questionnaire survey has revealed that 1) a significant number of ordinary populaces, particularly in active working age, are interested in the village web site, 2) though not yet having involved in the community activities within immediate neighborhood, quite a few number of ordinary populaces express their willingness to participate in voluntary environment conservation activities that are organized at wider level of regional society. These results suggest us further examinations on the practical validity of the countermeasures.