Urban Planning with Toyota’s Woven City: The Case of Susono, Japan

The processes of globalization produce major challenges for global governance. It is much more difficult to govern today than it was 20 years ago. Governments need to engage non-governmental sectors both to make informed decisions and to implement these decisions. Accordingly, national and international civil society organizations (CSOs) have gradually evolved and developed from being observers and critics of governments to being (in parallel to their traditional “watchdog” function) active participants in various governance mechanisms. CSOs today play larger roles in promoting global public goods, including human rights protection, gender equality, adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, disarmament, prohibition of excessive lethal weapons, international cooperation and development, etc. There is a broad acceptance of the strong necessity to engage civil society in governance and decision-making, but there is not yet enough acknowledgement of the necessity to provide for capacity-building and to reform the mechanisms of global governance.

In this article the frames of democratic global government, which determine the role of a global civil society as an alternative of market-driven globalization, are being analyzed. With this intention the main theories of international political economy – hegemonic stability theory, complex independence theory, new multilateralism, and also the comparison of the approaches to the potential possibilities of strengthening of the role of civil society in the system of global government are being examined.In order to create the necessary framework for democratic global governance in the twenty-first century, global and national civil societies must enter into more intensive synergies with individual national states and international organizations. Therefore, the article aims to define the role of global civil society in the project of global democratic governance as an alternative to market-driven globalization and to consider the main theories of international political economy by comparing their approaches to the potential opportunities of civil society in the global governance system.The article concludes that, based on the definition of opportunities for expanding the role of civil society in global governance, the theory of complex interdependence and the new multilateralism offer the most appropriate theoretical framework for examining the contribution of civil society in removing the tensions generated by globalization. One can talk about the expansion of the role of civil society in global governance, as the growing presence of social movements and non-governmental organizations on the global scene has become visible due to their activities in the areas of services, education, and protection of rights that contribute to the development of a global cooperative system.

The article contributes to contemporary urban studies debates on the role of civil society in governance, by critically considering the possibilities and limitations the bottom-linked approach entails for inclusive urban governance. Through an empirical analysis of bottom-linked initiatives developed in the city of Athens, it investigates emergent forms of cooperation and conflict between institutional and civil society actors. Further, it offers an analysis of the different dimensions the bottom-linked model may acquire, contributing insights into the entangled dynamics of self-responsibilization and self-emancipation implicated with emergent notions of citizenship and governance in Southern European cities.

Background: Smart cities are characterized by integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to address urban challenges, involving human and social capital as well as smart governance. Although there is no consensus on their definition, smart cities are generally seen as innovative projects to foster urban development through technology. However, effective governance in these cities poses significant challenges, requiring a multifaceted approach that involves collaboration between public and private sectors and civil society. This study seeks to identify key indicators for constructing effective governance frameworks in smart cities. Materials and Methods: Through a qualitative analysis of 70 articles from the ScienceDirect portal (2020-2024), this study explores the criteria and indicators of governance in smart cities. The articles were reviewed and filtered using a protocol with nine guiding questions, resulting in the extraction of 311 terms, which were then grouped into 33 indicators across five themes. These themes - Governance and Participation, Policies and Regulations, Strategies and Urban Planning, Technology and Innovation, and Indicators and Assessments - form the foundation for effective governance structures in smart cities. Results: The results highlight that governance in smart cities must be dynamic and adaptable, incorporating citizen participation, transparent public policies, open data practices, and efficient use of ICT. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how governance structures can foster sustainability, inclusivity, and efficiency in smart urban environments. By synthesizing key governance indicators, this research provides a framework to guide the development of governance models that can support the evolving needs of smart cities. Conclusion: Effective governance in smart cities requires dynamic, adaptable structures that foster collaboration between public and private sectors and civil society. This study provides a framework to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and efficiency in smart urban environments.

This study aims to examine the governance of extractive resources by the state as an axis of development at the national and subnational levels. This study focuses on Indonesia and Bojonegoro Regency as the main unit of analysis. Using the method of historical sociology, this article argues that the institutional capacity of the state in the governance of extractive resources, particularly oil, depends on the extent to which the mechanisms of autonomy and distribution of state power are reorganized to achieve developmental transformation. The combination of historical evidence not only adds to the theoretical understanding of state social power but also contributes to development theory by adding a historical dimension. As a country with abundant natural resources, Indonesia has faced challenges in the governance of extractive resources since colonial times. The abundance of natural resources is not always linear with development outcomes in each period of governance. Indonesia has seventeen oil and gas-producing provinces. However, the resource curse still applies in eight provinces where the number of poor people is higher than the national average. The governance of Indonesia's extractive industries is no longer monopolized by the national government but involves subnational governments. Politically, many local governments have complained that the process of calculating, distributing and reporting oil and gas revenue-sharing funds often creates tensions between central and local governments. Synergies between the state and civil society in the governance of extractive resources are needed to accelerate development transformation. Historical experience shows that the limited distributive power of civil society in extractive resource governance hinders the process of accelerating development transformation in Indonesia.

This study analyses the knowledge-sharing process and its outcomes among stakeholders (i.e., academia, industry, government and civil society) in the context of a regional sustainability-oriented project held in Ena City, central Japan, by using the Quadruple Helix (QH) framework. We collected data through interviews with the stakeholders and related documents and employed qualitative content analysis to analyse the data. Our findings imply that there is a gap between the theoretical understanding and practical application of sustainability practices at the initial stage of interaction. However, the project facilitated inter-exchanges of knowledge among stakeholders in the respective helices that could address this gap. Our research suggested the roles of stakeholders in a sustainability-driven collaboration as bridging academics, resource-providing industry, observant government and boundary-spanning civil society which represent the balanced QH model. The current study contributes to the existing literature three-fold. First, few existing studies have employed the QH model in the context of sustainability. Second, most previous studies on the QH model have focused on macro-perspectives. Third, the study clarifies the roles of the stakeholders, which extends the understanding of the QH model. This study suggests a regional sustainability policy that encourages more bottom-up initiatives, in line with the balanced helix model.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role of civil society in public governance, defined as the process of steering society and the economy through collective action and in accordance with some common objectives. Civil society holds valuable experiences, resources and ideas that may be mobilized in support of public governance processes. The heightened interest in civil society has stimulated scholarly debates about the conceptualization of civil society that tends to be defined as an institutional realm of private associations, voluntarism, and active citizens. The theoretical perception on the role of civil society vis-à-vis public governance seems to have moved from mainly considering the governance of civil society and governance in civil society to focusing on governance with civil society through various forms of collaborative network governance and co‑creation processes. In other words, civil society is no longer perceived merely as a target for public governance initiatives promoted by state agencies, nor is it solely praised for its capacity for self-governance. Civil society has been re-casted as a competent and resourceful partner in processes of co-governance in which public and private actors create a common ground for joint problemsolving. The new research on co-governance prompts analysis of the conditions for engaging civil society actors in public governance, the potential benefits and problems of governance based on interaction with civil society, and the need for meta-governance of cross-boundary collaboration. Civil society is often associated with local, place-bound groups and associations, but it is equally important to consider the prospects for global governance to involve the emerging global civil society. The interest in how civil society can play a role in and contribute to public governance has come to stay and prompts us to reflect on future research avenues, including the key question of how we can create platforms for cross-boundary collaboration between public and private for-profit and non-profit actors. As such, the re-casting of civil society as a partner in the co-governance of society also seems to transform the state from an authority standing above society to an opportunity structure that promotes cross-boundary collaboration and co-creation of public value outcomes.

Small states such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Aruba, and Curaçao are destination countries with some of the largest concentrations of Venezuelan migrants per capita. To address these migratory movements, the Refugee and Migrant Response Plan in the Caribbean Sub-Region (RMRP Caribbean) was established, consisting of various stakeholders, notably civil society, to direct emergency assistance and protection and to foster socio-economic and cultural inclusion. This chapter analyses the RMRP Caribbean as a case study of the role of small state civil society in global migration governance. The chapter draws on conceptual frameworks such as multi-level governance, regionalization and ‘invented’ and ‘invited’ spaces in exploring civil society efforts in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Aruba, and Curaçao. It is argued that although civil society is a key partner in the RMRP Caribbean by providing essential resources and services to Venezuelan migrants, civil society often remains overlooked in terms of funding and political engagement (policymaking, implementation and evaluation). The chapter shows that civil society efforts operate with or without response plans such as the RMRP Caribbean as nearly all of the examined civil society initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Aruba, and Curaçao existed prior to the establishment of the RMRP Caribbean and have provided resources and services that then were extended through collaborations as part of the Regional Response Plan. These conclusions raise important questions about agency, representation and accountability in global migration governance, pointing to emerging patterns and lessons for small state civil society in global migration governance.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping societies and the power to define its direction remains concentrated. The governance of AI which encompasses who sets the rules, whose values are embedded, and whose interests are protected is still largely steered by a small set of influential actors. Civil society, especially from regions across the Global Majority, is underrepresented in fora where critical decisions are made. This policy brief argues that civil society, rooted in communities and accountable to the public interest, is uniquely positioned to act as the counterbalance AI needs to benefit all of humanity by bringing to light the perspective of those that are most affected by AI systems. This policy brief investigates the role of civil society on AI Governance with particular attention to the Global Majority. The research question explores whether civil society serves as an effective counterbalance to concentrated power in the AI ecosystem to ensure AI systems reflect diverse public interests and values. Additionally, the brief seeks to identify which barriers hinder the participation of underrepresented civil society actors in setting the agenda for and participating in AI governance fora. On top of that, the brief outlines the opportunities for civil society’s entry points in AI Governance and key mechanisms to enable more inclusive and impactful engagement. The analysis draws on desk research and a comparative review of recent multistakeholder initiatives in global AI governance. Additionally, leveraging Globethics’ regional centers across the Global Majority, this research incorporates direct input from civil society networks through a survey and semi-structured online focus groups and interviews with civil society representatives from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia. These dialogues surface context-specific challenges and opportunities, offering grounded and regionally informed inputs. Together, these insights inform a set of recommendations aimed at civil society actors, policymakers, and international organizations to strengthen the meaningful participation of civil society in AI governance. This policy brief contributes to the broader conversation on inclusive AI governance for the successful implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and the Global Digital Compact.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, advancing sustainable development has become a new concern in African regional governance. Perhaps the best example of this regional environmental governance is in the Lake Victoria Region (LVR) in East Africa where innovative regional institutions have been created under the East African Community to deal with environmental problems collectively. Civil society organisations (CSOs) are increasingly taking part in these regional processes. However, the role of civil society in regional governance in Africa has been neglected in most regionalism studies, which tend to be state-centric. There is a great need for empirical data on regional civil society as well as for new theoretical tools. This article is based on field research that investigates the role of civil society in regional environmental governance in the LVR. Civil society can constitute a dynamic force at the regional level, but the involvement of CSOs in regional institutions is complex and to varying degrees takes place on the latter's terms. CSOs can play two different roles in regional environmental governance; as problem-solvers and as critics. The article concludes that the LVR is an example of a new form of participatory regional governance in Africa.

Leaning on user-groups: The role of civil society in fisheries governance

Rooted in overwhelming evidence that our societies are not sustainable, this thesis explores the potential for participatory governance to improve the sustainability of land-use planning and decision-making. Participation is argued to be a critical component of governance for sustainability, for at least two reasons: (1) that to sustainably manage the incredibly complex interactions between human society and the environment requires profound understanding of those interactions; and (2) that to implement sustainability-oriented policies requires the consent and effort of those people that interacts with the environment. Focusing on urban sprawl as one facet of poor land-use governance for sustainability, this research took the form of a case study of urban sprawl in the City of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. I explored the processes that facilitate and obstruct the participation of various people, groups and institutions in land-use governance, and analysed the likely impact of this governance structure on land-use sustainability. I employed policy analysis and 22 ethnographic interviews with local citizens, members of civil society groups, journalists, municipal councillors and public servants. I analysed these data within a framework of “goods” of participatory governance, namely: (1) inclusiveness; (2) popular control; (3) considered judgement; (4) transparency; and (5) efficiency. I concluded that land-use governance in Gatineau generally fails to foster meaningful civic participation: residents are not systematically included or represented, and have little control over governance processes; current processes and institutions do not foster considered judgement on land-use issues; while efforts have been made to improve transparency, this is still very lacking; and, what citizen-engagement exists is inefficient, time-intensive and emotionally demanding. I further concluded that: Land-use governance does not systematically ensure that complete and complex information is considered in decision-making; and Current governance processes are not adequate to build or maintain trust, buy-in and perceived legitimacy with citizens. As such, the current approach to land-use governance, and in particular the failure to foster meaningful civic participation, means that land-use governance in Gatineau is unlikely to produce sustainable outcomes. I end with a set of recommendations, for both the City government and civil society in Gatineau.

This article examines Libya’s complex landscape, marked by a persistently weak state apparatus since the Gaddafi era, which continues to raise significant concerns. Following the 2011 revolution, Libya has remained a battleground of conflict and war. This study investigates the factors influencing Libya’s transition, with a particular focus on the role of civil society in governance and political and economic reforms. The research draws on two qualitative studies that complement the researcher’s expertise in the Libyan context. The first study involved on-site meetings and discussions, while the second included 32 interviews conducted in late 2023 and early 2024. Participants, comprising politicians, economists, academics, and civil society leaders, provided diverse perspectives. Key findings highlight Libya’s lack of strong state institutions and the rule of law, challenges to governance and reforms amid ongoing conflict, and scepticism towards civil society, which makes its role more complex and more difficult. This study offers theoretical perspectives and invaluable information to foster and facilitate civil society engagement in governance and transition. Additionally, it provides recommendations for creating an enabling environment for transition in Libya and countries facing similar conditions, such as those during the Arab Spring.

This book presents a collection of comparative studies of civil society around two main issues: the comparison and analysis of civil society regimes in relation to different constructions of citizenship and welfare states and the role of civil society in governance and active participation of citizens. The first part of the book is concerned with comparisons of civil society institutional frameworks and regimes. In this section the contributions address the ways institutional cross-countries comparisons may be undertaken and discuss the extent to which common trends or divergent tendencies characterize national civil societies. The second part focuses on the role of civil society as a vector of citizens' participation and as an avenue for democracy. Democratic citizenship is often considered as requiring, in addition to a set of formal rights and obligations, a public sphere within which citizens can actively participate within and beyond the state. Building on international comparisons the articles in this section discuss the extent to and the modalities by which civil society is crucial to the functioning of democracy and the plain exercise of citizenship.

On the one hand, web-based idea management platforms such as IdeaScale, Spigit, and BrightIdea can be used to facilitate the sharing of ideas and insights from existing EU and international cohorts of relevance to COVID-19. These platforms can be used to capture ideas from the experts, employees, public and other stakeholders (internal and external), and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and insights in a structured and organized way. On the other hand, Quadruple Helix networking can be used to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing between existing EU and international cohorts of relevance to COVID-19. This approach involves bringing together four key stakeholders – government, industry, academia, and civil society – to work together to develop solutions to the grand societal challenges posed by the pandemic. In this paper authors will fill the gap between web-based IMS practical application and theoretical framework of Quadruple Helix model to demonstrate potential benefits of merging of these elements. To bridge the gap systematic and analytical literature review will be done to create new Quadruple Helix web-based IMS framework and demonstrate it in action with case study taken from the creative industry. Aim of the research: potential of web-based idea management application in Quadruple Helix context in networking of existing EU and international cohorts of relevance to COVID-19. To reach the aim this research uses a combination of literature review, action-based research, and descriptive analysis to analyse the data and draw conclusions. Main conclusions: proves the potential of web-based IMS application with Quadruple Helix context. The application of the web-based IMS and Quadruple Helix approach is holistic and adaptable. Authors have created Quadruple Helix Adaptation in Idea Management Application Framework by including elements such as: Application elements includes: P1 is idea generation process, P2 is idea evaluation, P3 continuation of IM; Adaptation elements includes Quadruple Helix approach partners: Q1: universities, Q2: civilians; Q3: businesses; Q4: government.