Abstract
This chapter explores the following networks of local state–society relations in Iceland: the neighborhood councils, school boards and youth councils. Organized civic participation is a relatively young phenomenon in Iceland. The findings show that participation is top-down driven and local elites have a lot of say in how civic participation is organized as they decide if they “accept” suggestions from the civic consultation platform. The neighborhood councils are ceremonial networks, and while the youth councils communicative, the school boards are self-reflective. Thus, institutionalization of civic participation in Iceland is rather low and networks do not score high on the participatory ladder.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (n.d.): OECD Fiscal Decentralisation Database. Figures for 2015. http://www.oecd.org/tax/federalism/fiscal-decentralisation-database.htm#C_Title.
- 2.
- 3.
Samþykkt fyrir Hverfisnefndir á Akureyri, samþykkt í bæjarráði 19. Júlí 2018. https://www.akureyri.is/static/files/01_akureyri.is/FundagerdirFylgisk/Hverfisnefndir/samthykkt-f-hverfisnefndir-a-akureyri-samth-i-baejarradi-19-juli-2018.pdf.
- 4.
Ibid.
- 5.
Samþykkt fyrir hverfisráð Norðurþings, samþykkt í sveitarstjórn Norðurþings 28.04.2016.
- 6.
Samþykkt fyrir Hverfisráð Sveitarfélagsins Árborgar. Samþykkt í bæjarstjórn 9. febrúar 2011. (Formal decision on neighborhood councils in Árborg).
- 7.
- 8.
Ministry of Education. Regulation No. 1157/2008.
- 9.
Ministry of Education. Regulation No. 1157/2008.
- 10.
Iceland Statistics. https://hagstofa.is/talnaefni/samfelag/menntun/grunnskolastig/.
References
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A Ladder of Citizen Participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224.
Baldersheim, H., Rose, L. E., & Sandberg, S. (2017). Local and Regional Government in the Nordic Countries: Co-operative Decentralization. In O. Knutsen (Ed.), The Nordic Models in Political Science: Challenged But Still Viable? (pp. 193–218). Oslo: Fagbokforlaget.
Children’s Ombudsman. (2015). Skýrsla umboðsmanns barna 2015. Reykjavík: Umboðsmaður barna. Retrieved from https://www.barn.is/media/425722/sub-2015.pdf.
Children’s Ombudsman. (2017). Skýrsla umboðsmanns barna 2017. Reykjavík: Umboðsmaður barna. Retrieved from https://www.barn.is/media/549673/sub-2017.pdf.
Eyþórsson, G. Þ. (2018). Bigger and Stronger Together: How Icelandic Municipalities Solve Their Lack of Capacity and Scale Economy. In F. Teles & P. Swianiewicz (Eds.), Inter-municipal Cooperation in Europe: Institutions and Governance. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Eyþórsson, G. Þ., Gløersen, E., & Karlsson, V. (2014). West Nordic Municipal Structure: Challenges for Local Democracy, Efficient Service Provision and Adaptive Capacity. Akureyri: University of Akureyri, Spatial Foresight GmbH, University of Akureyri Research Centre and West Iceland Regional Office. Retrieved from https://rafhladan.is/handle/10802/14282.
Halldórsson, V. R. (2012). Ungmennaráð sveitarfélaga. Reykjavík: Samband íslenskra sveitarfélaga. Retrieved from https://www.samband.is/media/lydraedi%2D%2D-mannrettindi/Ungmennaradsskyrsla-2012.pdf.
Hlynsdóttir, E. M. (2016). Leading the Locality: Icelandic Local Government Leadership Dilemma. Lex Localis: Journal of Local Self-Government, 14(4), 807–826.
Kristinsson, G. H. (2014). Hin mörgu andlit lýðræðis. Þátttaka og vald á sveitarstjórnarstiginu. Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan.
Ladner, A., Keuffer, N., Baldersheim, H., Hlepas, N., Swianiewicz, P., Steyvers, K., & Navarro, C. (2019). Patterns of Local Autonomy in Europe. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Local Government Act no. 138/2011 (Sveitarstjórnarlög nr. 138/2011). Retrieved from https://www.althingi.is/lagas/nuna/2011138.html.
Ólafsson, Ó. D. (2012). Lýðræði í hverfaskiptri borg. In G. H. Kristinsson, M. Björnsdóttir, & S. Jóhannsdóttir (Eds.), Leiðsögn um lýðræði í sveitarfélögum (pp. 27–29). Reykjavík: Samband íslenskra sveitarfélaga & Stofnun stjórnsýslufræða og stjórnmála við Háskóla Íslands.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (n.d.). OECD Fiscal Decentralisation Database. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/tax/federalism/fiscal-decentralisation-database.htm#C_Title.
Primary Schools Act no. 91/2008 (Lög um grunnskóla nr. 91/2008).
Regulation on School Councils in Primary Schools (2008). Reglugerðasafn. Reglugerð um skólaráð við grunnskóla nr. 1157/2008. Retrieved from https://www.reglugerd.is/reglugerdir/allar/nr/1157-2008.
Schiller, T. (2011). Local Direct Democracy in Europe: A Comparative Overview. In T. Schiller (Ed.), Local Direct Democracy in Europe (pp. 9–29). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Sellers, J. M., & Kwak, S. Y. (2011). State and Society in Local Governance: Lessons from a Multilevel Comparison. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 35(3), 620–643.
Sigurjónsdóttir, A. (2017). Þátttaka barna á sveitarstjórnarstigi í málefnum sem þau varða: Rannsókn á ungmennaráðum á höfuðborgarsvæðinu í tengslum við innleiðingu 12. gr. Barnasáttmála Sameinuðu þjóðanna (Master’s Thesis). University of Iceland.
Statistics Iceland. (2019). Population by Municipalities, Sex and Age 1 January 1998–2019—Current Municipalities. Retrieved from https://px.hagstofa.is/pxen/pxweb/en/Ibuar/Ibuar__mannfjoldi__2_byggdir__sveitarfelog/MAN02001.px.
Thorvaldsdóttir, V. (2017). Handbók ungmennaráða sveitarfélaganna. Reykjavík: SASS and EUF.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx.
Youth Act, No. 70/2007 (Æskulýðslög nr 70/2007) Retrieved from https://www.althingi.is/lagas/nuna/2007070.html.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Eyþórsson, G.Þ., Hlynsdóttir, E.M. (2021). Local State–Society Relations in Iceland. In: Teles, F., Gendźwiłł, A., Stănuș, C., Heinelt, H. (eds) Close Ties in European Local Governance. Palgrave Studies in Sub-National Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44794-6_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44794-6_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-44793-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-44794-6
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)