|
Abstract:
|
"New concepts of governance take account of ambivalence, uncertainty, and distributed power
in societal change. They aim for reflexivity regarding the limits of prognostic knowledge and actual control
of complex processes of change. Adaptive management and transition management are two examples that
evolved from the analysis of socialecological and sociotechnical systems, respectively. Both feature
strategies of collective experimentation and learning. In this paper, we ask how these two designs of reflexive
governance consider politics. Based on a framework of different dimensions and levels of politics, we show
that they are mainly concerned with problem solving by a focal process, but conflict and asymmetric power
relations, as well as the embedding of processes within broader political contexts, are neglected. We suggest
two routes for integrating politics into the design of reflexive governance: (1) recognize the politics of
learning for sustainable development and develop safeguards against domination and capture by powerful
actors, and (2) systematically consider the embedding of governance designs in political contexts and their
ongoing dynamics for political fit."
|