Citizen observatories. New forms of participation of society

Abstract

The citizen observatories (OC) have been established as an innovative mechanism of social participation within the processes of formation of the public agenda and formulation of public policies in Mexico. In this sense, the COs seek to establish themselves as a new social actor that mediates between citizens and the government, by monitoring the latter, as well as a link that allows different sectors of the citizenry to get involved in public affairs and the public works of the state. However, despite the potential that COs have as a governance and empowerment mechanism for civil society, the specialized literature has paid little attention to them. The book Observatorios ciudadanos: nuevas formas de participación de la sociedad, coordinated by Alejandro Natal and Oniel Díaz, seeks to help fill this gap in the literature.