An on-line glossary as a way to foster the construction of a common culture among urban experts, stakeholders and decision-makers

Negotiation and public participation are a key aspect of present urban development projects. Argumentation support tools, based on the Toulmin logic, have often been presented as a way to increase the accountability of the debates between the different urban actors. It should still be assumed that any collaborative decision making requires some common culture to make the dialogue possible and constructive. Such a common understanding of basic terms, references and methods is often missing in present-day urban disputes, especially when complex issues such as cultural heritage are at stake. The present paper discusses the relevancy of web glossaries as a way to build up such a common culture among urban experts, stakeholders and decision makers.