Sherry Arnstein

Sherry Arnstein was an American political scientist best known for her influential work on citizen participation in the democratic process, particularly through her 1969 paper 'A Ladder of Citizen Participation.' In this work, she illustrated the varying degrees of public involvement in decision-making, arguing that meaningful participation requires the redistribution of power. Arnstein's framework has been widely referenced in discussions about the effectiveness of civic engagement and the importance of ensuring that marginalized voices are heard in policy-making.