Learning from citizens: a Venetian experience

In the context of different projects, some participatory methods were used, together with more traditional ones, in a research process aimed at elicit ing local knowledge about risks derived from industrial activities. The pol icy implications of this approach are towards promoting citizen awareness a nd encouraging their involvement in actions addressed to reducing community vulnerability to risks. The paper illustrates the objectives and methodolo gy of a project on public risk perception and comments on some of its findi ngs. Drawing also from other research experiences, it outlines a set of 'pr inciples' which can guide the interpretation of citizens' concerns and aspi rations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.