Evolutionary Governance Theory: An Introduction

Kristof van Assche · Raoul Beunen · Martijn Duineveld

Jul. 2013 · Springer Science & Business Media

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​This short books offers the reader a remarkable new perspective on the way markets, laws and societies evolve together. It can be of use to anyone interested in development, market and public sector reform, public administration, politics & law. Based on a wide variety of case studies on three continents and a variety of conceptual sources, the authors develop a theory that clarifies the nature and functioning of dependencies that mark governance evolutions. This in turn delineates in an entirely new manner the spaces open for policy experiment. As such, it offers a new mapping of the middle ground between libertarianism and social engineering. Theoretically, the approach draws on a wide array of sources: institutional & development economics, systems theories, post-structuralism, actor- network theories, planning theory and legal studies.

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Kristof Van Assche is interested in evolution and innovation in governance, with focus areas in development, environment, and spatial planning & design. He is currently Visiting Associate Professor in Strategic Communication, Wageningen University, and Research Fellow at ZEF/ Center for Development Research, Bonn University. Teaching and research in various countries in Europe, North America, the Caucasus and Central Asia. His work is often comparative in nature, includes a fieldwork component and theoretical reflection: institutional & development economics, systems theories, post-structuralism.

Raoul Beunen is Assistant Professor Spatial Planning at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He works on Evolutionary Governance Theory in the fields of natural resource management and spatial planning. His research deals with policy implementation, policy integration, participatory approaches and the performance of legal institutions. He teaches planning theory and methodology with a focus on reflective and participatory learning.

Martijn Duineveld is Assistant Professor Cultural Geography at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He works on Evolutionary Governance Theory in the fields of geography, urban- and coastal planning. He is especially interested in the dynamics of power, knowledge and places. He teaches in courses on human geography, research methods, cultural geography, empowerment, sustainability, landscape architecture and planning. He is active in both academic and societal debates on citizenship, governance and democratisation.