This chapter discusses the new forms of "urban governance" that have been expressed in the appeal to "civil society" by the public administration, namely in matters of territorial planning. Understanding territorial planning as a "form of collective action in the context of a strategic game of actors," the chapter makes reference to the importance of "old" forms of citizen participation (e.g. elections, associations). Two fundamental queries run through this reflection about territorial planning: on the one hand, the dimensions of emancipation or integration involved, as well as the interests represented in these new forms of making the city, and on the other hand the specificity of the State's role.

The chapter compares the planning methodologies used in the region of Lisbon. Based on her own experience of participation in territorial planning, the author draws an empirical typology of forms of collective action, which are present in several forms of grassroots organizations: "claiming action," "critical action," "local and/or global participatory management action/conciliation action," "pedagogical and/or innovative action."

The chapter concludes that, even if we do not know the concrete forms of the current "game of negotiation between contradictory actors and interests," it seems to be the tension between emancipation and social control that generates the present forms of regulation. The author posits the hypothesis that these are not two opposing dimensions, but to a great extent complementary: participation, because of its mobilizing and integrating, and thus regulating, effects, can strongly contribute to the exercise of social control itself. In this sense, one can even consider that the expectations of political powers vis-a-vis civil society associations are based on such an attitude, in order to turn participation into an important aspect of socio-political integration.

However, the dimensions of equity and social justice should be present, since public authorities cannot be mere managers of a power under construction, but should act according to pre-established values and objectives that are, as far as possible, consensual. Inasmuch as the management and organization of a territory are classified under the category of public actions of a redistributive character, the objective would be to divide the different resources according to principles of equality and equity. Thus, in order to know the dimensions of emancipation that are present in forms of participatory public management we need to know what is being negotiated and the outcomes of the negotiation.