Abstract
The contribution of this study is two-fold: First, it outlines a conceptual framework on political order; and secondly, it offers empirical illustrations on the case of Nordic cooperation. Taken together, the article makes a plea for public administration scholarship in the study of political order. Political order consists of a relatively stable arrangement of institutions that are fairly formalized and institutionalized. A common political order, moreover, entails that relevant institutions: (i) are fairly independent of pre-existing institutions; (ii) are relatively integrated and internally cohesive; and (iii) are reasonably able to influence governance processes within other institutions. The article empirically suggests that Nordic-level institutions are less likely to act relatively integrated and independently of member-state governments as well as being able to wield significant influence on public governance processes within member-state institutions.
Highlights
Turbulence within and around public affairs calls for understanding the conditions for resilient and sustained political order (Ansell, Trondal, & Ogard, 2016; Fukuyama, 2016; Olsen, 2007; Tamuz & Lewis, 2008)
With an ambition to rediscover the study of Nordic cooperation as well as to advance studies of political order, this study offers ways to theoretically conceptualize politicoadministrative order in the Nordic region
The contribution is two-fold: First, it outlines a conceptual framework that highlights the administrative dimension of political order; secondly, merely to illustrate the framework, the article offers empirical illustrations of emergent political order in the European Union (EU) as well as Nordic cooperation
Summary
Turbulence within and around public affairs calls for understanding the conditions for resilient and sustained political order (Ansell, Trondal, & Ogard, 2016; Fukuyama, 2016; Olsen, 2007; Tamuz & Lewis, 2008). A common political order arguably requires that relevant institutions are: (i) fairly independent of pre-existing institutions; (ii) relatively integrated and internally cohesive; and (iii) reasonably able to influence governance processes within other institutions. To illustrate: In a Nordic context a common order lets us infer that Nordic institutions are able to act relatively independently of member-state governments, be fairly integrated internally (within and among the Nordic institutions), and able to exert influence on the policy processes of member-state institutions— challenging the politico-administrative autonomy of the constituent states. This article, suggests that Nordic-level institutions (notably the Nordic Council of Ministers and its Secretariat) in practice are less likely to act relatively integrated and independently of member-state governments and less likely to wield significant influence on public governance processes within the member-state institutions. The article is presented as follows: The section outlines a research agenda by outlining a public administration framework; the subsequent sections suggest conceptual dimensions that might be used for empirical study
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