P46 - Reflecting on structure and agency in deliberative governance approaches of transitions
PANEL Organizers
• Vermeesch Inge (inge.vermeesch@kuleuven.be), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium)
• Crabbé Ann (ann.crabbe@uantwerpen.be), University of Antwerp (Belgium)
SUMMARY
Because of the increasing complexity of contemporary society and the erosion of existing institutions, the attention of governors and policy makers has turned to governance approaches that focus on networks and on deliberative collaboration with non-government actors. Non-government actors can be individuals, knowledge institutions, private businesses and their sector associations, but also non-profit organizations and informal groups. We examine such discursive and deliberative governance practices from the perspective of multi-actor collaboration in a policy context. Multi-actor governance approaches accept non-government actors to take diverse steering initiatives through both formal and informal interactions and through intense negotiations to find innovative solutions for a “wicked” problem that requires a societal transition or profound systemic change.
This panel reflects on deliberative multi-actor governance practices with a focus on structure and agency. Following Giddens, who introduced "the duality of structure” as the core of structuration theory, we illustrate during our session that structure is both medium and outcome. Structures exist both internally within agents as memory traces and externally as the manifestation of social actions. Agency is the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices. Social structures contain agents and/or are the product of past actions of agents.
We welcome various analysis perspectives, for example:
- Which frames, that influence the content and organization of multi-actor networks, do actors hold? E.g. frames on problem definition, on solution paths, on leadership and network roles and on rationale for action. Which frames of mind, that shape actor behavior through socialization, influence the network interactions and resulting policy ?
- Which formal and informal rules about deliberative governance influence actor behavior?
- How does power affect interactions in complex multi-actor negotiations and decision making processes?
KEY WORDS
Science, practice panel, structure and agency, deliberative governance, networks, transitions
ROOM
Sciences Po Lille B2.2
SESSION 1 : 8/07/2015 : 13:15-14h45
• Introduction by the chair (10’)
Dr. Art Dewulf (art.dewulf@wur.nl), Wageningen UR (the Netherlands)
• Reflecting on Flanders’ transition towards sustainable materials management from a structure and agency perspective
Inge Vermeesch (inge.vermeesch@kuleuven.be), Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium)
Dr. Ann Crabbé (ann.crabbe@uantwerpen.be), University of Antwerp (Belgium)
→ The researchers will present their analysis of a deliberative governance practice (15’)
and will let a self-invited practitioner reflect on this analysis (15’)
• Critical realism as a framework for understanding the role of structures and agents in shaping front of pack food labeling regulation
Amanda Wood (Amanda.wood@auckland.ac.nz), University of Auckland (New Zealand)
Tim Tenbensel, University of Auckland (New Zealand)
→ The researchers will present their analysis of a deliberative governance practice (15’)
and will let a self-invited practitioner reflect on this analysis (15’)
• Discussion on cross-case comparison (20’)
Discussion with the chair, the researchers and practitioners, and the audience.
SESSION 2 : 8/07/2015 : 14:45-16:30
• Introduction by the chair (10’)
Dr. Art Dewulf (art.dewulf@wur.nl), Wageningen UR (the Netherlands)
• Under the surface of water management: an interpretative policy analysis of flood risk management in England
Karen Potter (Karen.potter@liverpool.ac.uk), University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)
→ The researcher will present her analysis of a deliberative governance practice (15’)
and will let a self-invited practitioner reflect on this analysis (15’)
• Making Dutch citizens: the role of civil servants in creating civic integration law categories
Michiel Swinkels (m.swinkels@maw.ru.nl), Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands)
→ The researcher will present his analysis of a deliberative governance practice (15’)
and will let a self-invited practitioner reflect on this analysis (15’)
• Discussion on cross-case comparison (20’)
Discussion with the chair, the researchers and practitioners, and the audience.
NB : Due to their speficities, panels 46-1 and 46-2 are in fact one extended session. Public attending the panel are supposed to attend the session from minute 1 to the end. So, the coffee break would not be possible for this session.
