Meta-governance and the segregated city: difficulties with realizing the participatory ethos in network governance - evidence from Malmo City, Sweden

Abstract

Efforts to strategically implement governance reforms have become a common way in which to deal with complex social and political issues. The analysis presented in this article addresses recent governance reforms in Malmo, Sweden, that are intended to help resolve complex problems of urban segregation and social inequality. The article identifies important difficulties that have been encountered in promoting increased participation in spite of the great awareness on the part of local actors of the problems facing the community. The study brings forth evidence that there are good reasons for reassessing the inclusive ethos of network governance and for a critical investigation of precisely who gains access to political processes when network governance arrangements are implemented from above.

Keywords

Meta-governance; network governance; political participation; segregation; local democracy

Published in

Policy Studies
2021, Volume: 42, number: 4, pages: 362-380 Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Larsson, Oscar

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Uppsala University

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG10 Reduced inequalities
SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
SDG16 Peace, justice and strong institutions


UKÄ Subject classification

Public Administration Studies


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2019.1634188

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/101121