Universal Accessibility and Participatory Planning: in the Municipality of Valdivia: Citizens' Knowledge Community Dialogues for Inclusive Governance

This study analyzes the relationships between universal accessibility, participatory urban planning, and territorial governance in the city of Valdivia, Los Ríos Region, Chile. Universal accessibility is understood as a need and a right linked to the right to the city (Lefebvre, 1968; Harvey, 2013), which requires rethinking urban planning from the perspectives of equity and spatial justice. Within this framework, the paper incorporates theoretical contributions from territorial governance (Davoudi, Governa & Santangelo, 2008; Farinós, 2015) and participatory planning as mechanisms and tools for integrating citizens' knowledge into local community management. In this context, the research is conducted using a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) that combines a documentary analysis of secondary sources with participatory primary sources collected in Valdivia. In particular, the study highlights the use of an online survey to ensure the participation of people with disabilities, as well as the conduct of inclusive community dialogues as methodological spaces for collective deliberation.