Participatory Governance and Development: In search of a causal nexus 1

The paper discusses the lack of empirical evidence that indicates the developmental gains associated with participatory governance and the need of theoretical models that describe the causal nexus capable of supporting the belief in the potentially virtuous relationship between these two terms. In order to do this it deals firstly with the most relevant contributions to international debates about development. Next, it analyzes theoretical presuppositions together with empirical evidence from two of the principal explanations presented in studies about participatory democracy: the institutionalist literature and the literature about social mobilisation. Finally, in the light of this comparison, some ideas are presented to continue this analysis through a research agenda