Public Engagement in Flood Mitigation: The Influence of Political Affiliation on the Co-production of Public Infrastructure

• In Event: Disaster Responses in the US States

Abstract

With climate change, coastal communities are facing a rising frequency of extreme storms and flood events. Past experiences have demonstrated that governments are not the only primary players in hazard mitigation. Instead, individual engagement and a whole-community approach are essential for improving both community physical and social resilience. Within this context, the concept of coproduction has emerged as a vital mechanism in hazard mitigation and flood risk governance (Mees et al., 2018). Coproduction encompasses various collaborative practices where citizens work with state actors in co-planning, co-investing, co-designing, and co-delivering public services (Nabatchi et al., 2017; Hwang et al., 2024).

While existing research has examined both the influence of socio-economic factors, such as risk perception, income, and gender (Hwang et al., 2024; Boyle & Harris, 2009), and community-level factors (Hwang et al., 2024) on public engagement in co-planning and co-investing, limited attention has been paid to the political dimension of citizen participation in flood mitigation and further exploring its influence among different stages. Specifically, key questions remain underexplored: 1) Do individuals show a consistent preference for engagement across different stages of flood mitigation coproduction? and 2) Does political affiliation, a factor that strongly shapes individual views on government responsibility and citizen roles in hazard mitigation (Longo & Baker, 2014), influence individuals’ willingness in these distinct stages of coproduction?

To address these questions, this study employs multiple logistic regression analysis using data from a 2021 survey conducted in Texas to examine patterns of citizen engagement in coproduction. The result shows that individuals who prefer to engage in co-planning are also more likely to engage in co-investing. Furthermore, political affiliation emerges as a significant but nuanced determinant of coproduction. Specifically, compared to self-identified Republicans, Democrats are less likely to engage in co-planning activities but more likely to participate in co-investing efforts. Independents also demonstrate a higher likelihood of co-investing compared to Republicans, though their engagement in co-planning does not differ significantly. Interestingly, commonly cited predictors such as risk perception only influence engagement in co-planning, with no significant association found in co-investing behavior.

By integrating political affiliation into the analytical framework of coproduction, this study advances the understanding of how civic participation in flood mitigation coproduction is shaped not only by socioeconomic factors but also by broader ideological orientations. The findings have practical implications for designing more inclusive and politically aware engagement strategies in disaster resilience planning.

Reference (partial):
Hwang, H., Vedlitz, A., Mostafavi, A., & Lim, S. (2024). Socially Equitable Public Service Provision: Towards Inclusive Coproduction of Public Infrastructure. International Journal of Public Administration, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2024.2427652
Nabatchi, T., Sicilia, M., & Sancino, A. (2017). Varieties of Participation in Public Services: The Who, When, and What of Coproduction. Public Administration Review, 77(5), 766–776. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26648487

Author

• Peiyao Li, Sam Houston State University
  Presenting Author