A theoretical framework for analyzing institutionalized domination in network governance arrangements

Abstract

Network governance, which involves an informal and self-regulated set of public and private actors, who together address various political and social problems, has substantially altered the institutional landscape concerning the formation and implementation of public policy. A common view is that this has made it possible to enhance pluralism and disperse political power by transferring power from the sovereign state to a wider set of private actors and stakeholders. I argue in this article that we need to analyze network governance in reference to the concept of domination and the theoretical tradition of neo-republicanism. For this purpose, I develop a theoretical framework that specifies five dimensions in which domination may arise and, conversely, be mitigated. An alternative image of network governance emerges which reveals that this type of governance may in fact generate a form of institutional domination that encompasses both citizens and civil society actors due to the arbitrary influence that certain network participants come to exercise upon the life choices of nonparticipants.

Keywords

Governance; networks; civil society; domination; democracy; legitimacy

Published in

Critical Policy Studies
2019, volume: 13, number: 1, pages: 81-100

SLU Authors

• Larsson, Oscar

  • Uppsala University

UKÄ Subject classification

Public Administration Studies
Political Science (Excluding Peace and Conflict Studies)

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19460171.2017.1393440

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/91077