Participatory governance in megaprojects: the Lyon–Turin high-speed railway among structure, agency, and democratic participation

Abstract Megaprojects are increasingly common across countries and attract substantial political attention from a variety of actors. Recent studies have highlighted the need to move an understanding megaprojects as linear rational processes towards more nuanced approach that accounts for non-linear conflictual aspects. Participatory governance is often proposed valuable resource in this regard. In paper, we investigate setting design two participatory venues operating context implementation Lyon-Turin high-speed railway megaproject: Italian Observatory Turin-Lyon Railway French Public Inquiry. Empirical evidence shows case featured structural barriers effective democratic participation. As case, while better designed implanted its context, it important agentic limitations undermined potential. On basis our study, therefore argue both Inquiry failed promote We thus propose deliberative (the study of) megaprojects. Whereas ideas command growing interest disciplines, these found only limited application contend holds promise improve epistemic qualities decision making on