In, out, or in-between? Identity conditioning, identity struggles, and corresponding response strategies in citizen collaboration

Public servants are increasingly involved in collaborative relationships with citizens. I explore how public managers try to translate institutional claims for citizen collaboration to the individual level. Based on... [ view full abstract ]

Public servants are increasingly involved in collaborative relationships with citizens. I explore how public managers try to translate institutional claims for citizen collaboration to the individual level. Based on thirty-seven explorative interviews with public managers and public professionals from Germany, I examine three different identity narratives that managers use to condition professionals’ identities: facilitator, knowledge skimmer, and guardian. Furthermore, I reveal four major identity struggles professionals face in citizen collaboration and corresponding strategies to respond to these struggles. By applying an identity perspective, this paper widens our understanding of the micro-processes of the rise and spread of New Public Governance.