Path dependence and critical junctures: an urban-rural water sharing study

Abstract

Path dependence and critical junctures theory has evolved from first aiming to capture specific economic phenomena to explaining a host of social phenomena across a wide variety of disciplines. At this early stage in a planned research program, this paper will provide a literature review of path dependence and critical junctures. The subsequent study will focus on the history of urban-rural tension in the Calgary, Alberta region of Canada and the recent partnership that seeks to chart a new trajectory, which includes a vital water-sharing component. Paying particular attention to the potential access to water, the study will seek to determine whether powerful actors can vanquish an acrimonious path dependent past and carve out a new trajectory through what may potentially be a critical juncture.