A participatory approach to social impact assessment: the interactive community forum

Becker D R, Harris C C, Mclaughlin W J, Nielsen E A

Type of Publication:
Reviewed Journal Article

Source:
Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 2003, V23, N3, pp 367-382

Content:
The Interactive Community Forum is a method of social impact assessment that seeks community members' judgments of social impacts resulting from project alternatives in an environmental impact assessment. The method employs a participant-driven description of the social system along with a set of community constructs to guide in the identification of anticipated social impacts. A diversity of participants with different areas of community involvement are exposed to a structured small group process where information is shared and community-level impacts are deliberated. Based on group discussion, participants project social impacts and identify measures necessary for their mitigation. The Interactive Community Forum thereby provides a means to integrate local knowledge into an Environmental Impact Statement and inform environmental decision-making through a modified public involvement process.

Author's Keywords:
Social impact assessment; Public judgment; Small group processes; Public involvement

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JA7849



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