Factors influencing ethnic minority participation in urban community governance: A systematic literature review

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Abstract

The participation of minority groups in community governance plays a vital role in promoting social stability, ethnic integration, and effective governance. However, in community governance, there are often significant issues such as the under-representation of minority groups, trust gaps, and cultural and language differences, which limit the meaningful participation of minority residents (Turner et al., 2022). This paper aims to identify the key factors influencing the participation of ethnic minority members in community governance, with particular emphasis on the critical role of establishing networked communication between minority groups and governing bodies. It notes the role of community engagement as a key factor that drives the other factors influencing the participation of ethnic minority members in community governance, such as trust, transparency, awareness, and others. This study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of 31 peer-reviewed articles from 2020 to 2024 to analyze the trends, key factors, and challenges that affect the participation of minority groups in governance processes. The study highlights the need to develop governance frameworks prioritizing cultural sensitivity, collaborative decision-making, and addressing barriers to digital inclusion. It recommends future research and policy development to promote sustainable and inclusive governance.

Keywords: Community Governance, Urban Ethnic Minorities, Minority Representation, Participation, Factors Influencing, Systematic Literature Review

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — H.R. and Y.F.L.; Methodology — H.R. and K.H.K.S.; Formal Analysis — H.R.; Investigation — H.R. and Z.H.A.; Resources — Y.F.L.; Data Curation — H.R.; Writing — Original Draft — H.R.; Writing — Review & Editing — Y.F.L., K.H.K.S., and Z.H.A.; Supervision — Y.F.L. and K.H.K.S.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: I138, I131, Z0

Received: 01.08.2025
Revised: 28.11.2025; 20.02.2026
Accepted: 11.03.2026
Published online: 13.03.2026

How to cite this paper: Ren, H., Lee, Y. F., Ku Samsu, K. H., & Adnan, Z. H. (2026). Factors influencing ethnic minority participation in urban community governance: A systematic literature review. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 15(2), 117–130. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv15i2art10