TY - JOUR
T1 - Recapturing fugitive power
T2 - Epistemology, complexity and democracy
AU - Farrell, Katharine N.
N1 - Funding Information:
Thanks are due to Magnus Boström for extensive comments on an earlier version of this work, to all the participants from the 6th NESS Multi-level Governance Session, Timothy Bending, Arild Vatn and the reviewers. Errors, omission and other failings remain, of course, entirely my own. My doctoral research is funded through a UK Support Programme for University Research Scholarship. Additional funding, supporting work relating to this paper has been provided by the Queens University Belfast Alumni Fund and the Norwegian Research Council.
PY - 2004/10
Y1 - 2004/10
N2 - While policy network theory employs complexity concepts (self-regulation, emergence) mainly as explanatory tools, potential theoretical contributions arising from the underpinning analytical principles have been less explored. It is argued that by directly considering multi-level environmental governance as a far-from-equilibrium complex system, it is possible to explore how governance structures might better support and construe the dynamic and delicate conditions necessary for the presence of life. Problem formulation or 'agenda setting' powers exerted by civil servants and scientists are examined as emergent properties, systemic in and necessary for the stability of multi-level governance structures. Finally, it is proposed that multi-level environmental governance design may be improved through a reconceptualisation of representation, informed by principles from complexity theory, which embraces and 'recaptures' power exerted through extra-electoral governance relationships.
AB - While policy network theory employs complexity concepts (self-regulation, emergence) mainly as explanatory tools, potential theoretical contributions arising from the underpinning analytical principles have been less explored. It is argued that by directly considering multi-level environmental governance as a far-from-equilibrium complex system, it is possible to explore how governance structures might better support and construe the dynamic and delicate conditions necessary for the presence of life. Problem formulation or 'agenda setting' powers exerted by civil servants and scientists are examined as emergent properties, systemic in and necessary for the stability of multi-level governance structures. Finally, it is proposed that multi-level environmental governance design may be improved through a reconceptualisation of representation, informed by principles from complexity theory, which embraces and 'recaptures' power exerted through extra-electoral governance relationships.
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U2 - 10.1080/1354983042000255360
DO - 10.1080/1354983042000255360
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:4544298189
SN - 1354-9839
VL - 9
SP - 469
EP - 479
JO - Local Environment
JF - Local Environment
IS - 5
ER -
