Multilevel Governance Setting Research Articles

Public preferences for social investment versus compensation policies in Social Europe

The recent enactment of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) has significantly strengthened the social dimension of the European Union (EU), including the social investment (SI) elements of that social dimension. What is not known, however, to what extent the priorization of SI is supported by the broader public. To address this research gap, we investigate public opinion on 15 different policy areas from the EPSR using Eurobarometer data from 2020 across all EU countries, asking whether the public rather prefers these policies to be delivered at EU or national level. A principal finding is that the public indeed supports more SI than CP policies with respect to EU-level social policy, and more CP than SI policies with respect to national-level social policy. We also investigate whether socioeconomic status (SES) and welfare state effort can explain this phenomenon. We find that higher socio-economic status and more generous welfare states are associated with more support for SI policies on both EU and national levels and vice versa. The findings emphasize the importance of what policies are provided versus who provides them but also pose a puzzle for trade-offs in multilevel governance settings. Hence, the article has important implications for future research on public opinion and Social Europe.

Transnational Governance Frameworks for Sustainable Innovation: The Case Of The Blue Bioeconomy In The Mediterranean

Recent developments in innovation policy have challenged the initial assumptions of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), initially aimed at promoting innovation for regional growth. In response to the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the new S3 seeks to address social and sustainable development challenges. The present study sets out to propose an extension of one of these reformed S3 approaches to a multilevel governance setting. The study will propose a governance model suitable to support innovation in the blue bioeconomy –those economic activities related to the living resources at sea–, in the Mediterranean.

Governing translocal experimentation in multi-sited transition programs: Dynamics and challenges

Transition experiments are important instruments to foster sustainability transitions. Transition scholars increasingly suggest investigating how multiple local experiments can become connected across spatial scales, and how transformative dynamics of multiple connected experiments can be facilitated and governed. In this paper we analyze the different types of translocal dynamics involved in simultaneously governing multiple experiments in multi-sited transition programs, by empirically exploring the FIT4FOOD2030 program (2017-2020) that supported 25 transition experiments. Then, we present four overarching challenges in governing translocal experimentation: (1) finding synergies between diverging local needs and program ambitions; (2) navigating the cross-scale political dynamics in multi-sited transition programs; (3) moving beyond output-oriented evaluation frameworks in order to capture transformative efforts of short-term programs; and (4) expanding the boundaries of programs by linking to ongoing policy developments in highly complex multi-level governance settings. We hope our work can inform transition governance efforts in fostering transformative translocal dynamics toward sustainability.

Urban Policy in Times of Crisis: The Policy Capacity of European Cities and the Role of Multi-Level Governance

This article investigates how the policy capacity of urban governments in Europe to deal with the social challenges caused by the 2008-2009 financial crisis, has been strongly shaped by the institutional multi-level governance (MLG) settings in which cities were embedded. We consider the financial crisis as an important ‘stress test’ for urban policy. Urban governments faced a highly complex, trilemmatic situation: they faced not only growing social and economic problems at the local level, but also a process of devolution of institutional responsibility from central to local governments, and important cuts in central funding. Our analysis is based on an empirical investigation carried out between 2009 and 2016 in six major European cities: Barcelona, Copenhagen, Lyon, Manchester, Milan, and Munich. What clearly emerges from the research is that European cities may still show a certain capacity to innovate and govern economic changes and social challenges only if supported by an enabling MLG system.

Solidarity and Contestation: Local Refugee Reception Practices at the South-Eastern EU Border Islands

This article offers an analysis of how various actors engaged in and reacted to refugee reception practices in a multi-level governance setting at the main island entry points to the European Union (EU) from the south-east. Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros received almost one million people out of the 1,6 million which arrived in the EU in 2015 and 2016. In the humanitarian emergency, which followed the increased arrivals, the local administration and the local community took important initiatives to fill the gaps of the European and the national responses while also opposing the EU policies which degraded the human dignity of refugees. Drawing on rich qualitative material I demonstrate how solidarity and contestation derive from a complex local reality. The findings of the article point to the consequences of the multilevel governance structure of asylum for actors’ interactions or lack of interaction on the ground of the border islands.

Core-city climate leadership in metropolitan contractual management agreements

ABSTRACT Metropolitan governance and planning increasingly are understood as essential in managing urban growth and fostering a sustainable and climate-friendly metropolitan development. Lately, a contractual turn can be observed in metropolitan governance, in which traditional coordination tools are supplemented by contractual management tools between governmental layers and sectors. This article analyses two cases of metropolitan contractual management agreements, one in the Oslo region and one in the Gothenburg region. The article finds that both agreements build on regional strategies and plans to commit national authorities to invest in infrastructure in these metropolitan areas. The Oslo agreement has more layers than the Gothenburg case, in trying to align national, regional and local authorities’ efforts in both land use and mobility politics. The agreements require advanced leadership competence from the core-city, curbing centre-periphery tensions in metropolitan areas and building local alliances to pressure national authorities in agreement negotiations. We argue that this requires a co-creational leadership role, which, in a multilevel governance setting, must be extended to include dimensions such as distributional balance sensitivity, delineation sensitivity and upward pressure.

The decentralisation reform in Ukraine: First accomplishments and future challenges

The article explores the decentralization reform in Ukraine under the presidency of Petro Poroshenko in 2014−2019, evaluating its main results and challenges in the context of territorial consolidation and democratization. The article seeks to explain what made the policy makers choose the priority of increasing the institutional and financial capacity of local government to provide public services in the context of improving Ukraine’s cohesion and resilience to external threats in relation to its territorial unity and sovereignty. The article argues that the logic of decentralization in 2014−2019 has brought Ukraine closer to the EU by implementing the principles of subsidiarity and promoting local democracy in the framework of multilevel governance in a unitary decentralized state. At the same time, the article highlights a number of challenges that decentralization faced in 2014−2019, including the level of institutional coordination within a multi-level governance setting, as well as the limited effectiveness of the incentives to increase local development in Ukraine. In the first stage of the reform in 2014−2019, decentralization led to shifting the balance of power and resources between central and subnational actors and institutions, but did not institutionalize the involvement of the latter into the process of policy making at the central level. According to the logic of the Sequential Theory of Decentralization, the start of the reform from administrative and fiscal decentralization, as well as the postponing of political decentralization, can set the vector of reducing the degree of autonomy of actors and institutions at the sub-state levels on the further stages, especially in the case of limiting the financial capacity of self-government to provide public services. If the reform is successful at its the next stages, it will generate a useful example of a decentralized democracy outside the EU, being more resilient to external and internal challenges due to its strengthened local self-government. Ukraine’s decentralization reform can become an example for post-Soviet countries and some EU member states that seek to strengthen their territorial integrity. Key words: decentralization, territorial consolidation, multi-level governance, Ukraine

Trust spillovers among national and European institutions

In this article, we study spillovers in political trust between the national parliaments of 15 Member States and the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Central Bank in the period 2000–2015. We show that in most instances spillovers between the national parliaments and the European Commission and the European Parliament are bidirectional, asymmetric, and change over time and place. A corollary of these findings is that simultaneously achieving high level of trust in institutions at different levels of governance may require a deeper understanding of the complex inter-institutional relationships that exist in the EU multilevel governance setting.

Perceived adaptive capacity within a multi-level governance setting: The role of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital

In 2012 Sweden implemented a collaborative governance regime for managing moose (Alces alces). This was guided by the awareness that decentralization and stakeholder participation can help to reduce conflicts, foster systematic learning, and handle complexity. However, previous research has highlighted that there are no blueprint approaches to the governance and management of natural resources. In this case, diverse multi-use landscapes, ever-changing ungulate populations, and other external stressors (e.g. climate change, wildlife diseases) can create challenges for collaborative institutions. Adaptive capacity is therefore needed as it allows a system and the actors involved to react successfully to social-ecological changes and to develop even in times of no imminent change or risk. Using Swedish moose management as an example of a multi-level governance system, this research assesses the critical determinants of adaptive capacity across levels. We developed and applied a psychometric approach to measure actors’ perceived adaptive capacity on two levels in the management system. A web-based survey was sent to Moose Management Groups (n = 765, response rate = 81 %) and Moose Management Units (n = 1,380, response rate = 71 %). Using structural equation modelling, we assessed the relative importance of governance aspects, different types of social capital, as well as human and financial capital on actors’ perceived adaptive capacity. Linking and bridging social capital in the system had significant impacts on both levels. Actors felt more prepared to handle future challenges in moose management when they perceived benefits through collaborations with levels below and expressed social trust in authorities and the management level above. Besides those similarities between the two levels, fairness was a more important determinant of actors’ perceived adaptive capacity on the lower management level. These results can contribute to a future improvement of the collaborative governance setting by finessing strategic interventions on different levels. Furthermore, our results illustrate the importance of scale when assessing the adaptive capacity of a system.

The importance of simulation in teaching and learning economics: The students’ perspective

ABSTRACT This article presents an innovative teaching and learning method based on three different simulations of multi-level governance settings. Public management at the local level is recreated using the SimCity computer game; the decision-making process at the national level is simulated through a national parliament simulation; and the intervention of the public sector at the international level is based on a simulation of the Council of the European Union. The main objective of this study is to assess students’ perceptions regarding how useful simulations may be for teaching and learning economics. The implementation of this teaching method demonstrated that the students perceived problem-based and role-play methods as useful learning tools. They also declared that their perception about the complexity of real-world problems has changed and that their political engagement may have increased thanks to their participation. Abbreviations SDGs - Sustainable Development Goals

Integration, functional differentiation and problem‐solving in multilevel governance

AbstractThe European Union (EU) is currently facing unprecedented challenges to its problem‐solving capacity, such as those represented by pressing transnational crises and by bottom‐up criticisms towards the European integration process. Moreover, the EU is said to compensate its weak input legitimacy with an enhanced problem‐solving capacity. However, the notion of problem‐solving itself has remained remarkably vague in the multilevel governance (MLG) literature. This symposium analyses problem‐solving in different MLG settings. In this introduction, we identify procedural and operational notions of problem‐solving in MLG, and present a structural framework to guide the comparative analyses of multilevel systems along the dimensions of political integration, functional differentiation and decentralization. The contributions to the symposium illustrate how structural elements of different multilevel systems shape both the policy‐making process and the politics of problem‐solving within these systems. In doing so, they pave the way for further comparative research.

Balancing diversity and connectivity in multi-level governance settings for urban transformative capacity

Transformation towards sustainable development is about findings new ways of thinking, organising and doing to navigate wicked challenges such as climate change and urbanisation. Such challenges call for new governance modes that match the complexity of the systems to be handled, where multi-level governance and collaborative approaches have been suggested to contribute to such transformative capacity building. This in-depth, trans-disciplinary study investigates how the multi-level governance context in Stockholm, Sweden, influences the transformative capacity from the perspective of local sustainability initiatives. It was found that even though the decentralized governance of the Stockholm region hosts a great potential in supporting city wide transformation, it is hampered by disconnect between actors, levels and sectors and the short-term funding structure. The suggested interventions highlight the tension between enabling collaborations, while safeguarding a high local diversity of initiatives and flexibility to ensure sustained space for innovation and learning.

Transnational policy influence and the politics of legitimation

Many domains of transnational policy are now governed through dynamic, multilevel governance processes, encompassing transnational, national, and subnational scales. In such settings, both membership of policy communities and distributions of authority within them become more fluid and openly contested—increasing the importance of the politics of legitimation as a basis for distributing influence over policy processes and outcomes. Drawing on insights from theories of organizational and institutional legitimation, this article theorizes three distinctive strategies of policy influence exercised by transnational actors in multilevel governance settings, through which strategic efforts to legitimize transnational actors and forums are deployed as means of transnational policy influence. The three strategies involve: transnational field building, localized network building, and role adaptation. The effects of these influencing strategies on policy processes and outcomes are illustrated with reference to the case of Indonesian land governance, in which highly dynamic, contested, and multiscalar governance processes lend our theorized strategies particular salience.

Nomination and inscription of the “Ancient Beech Forests of Germany” as natural World Heritage: multi-level governance between science and politics

In 2011, five German beech forest areas were declared to be part of the World Heritage property “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany.” Thus, they now share the same status as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and East Africa’s Serengeti. This paper analyzes the science–policy interface behind the nomination and inscription process in the multi-level governance setting of the World Heritage Convention. Using the Research–Integration–Utilization (RIU) model of scientific knowledge transfer, we identify and analyze different actors’ roles in the spheres of Research, Integration and Utilization across different governance levels, from the German federal states to the World Heritage Committee. In addition, the RIU model serves to normatively examine the process and determine quality criteria that were useful for a successful inscription as World Heritage. The paper highlights the opportunities of using scientific knowledge in the multi-level governance of international conventions.

Barriers to Effective Eutrophication Governance: A Comparison of the Baltic Sea and North American Great Lakes

The Baltic Sea and the North American Great Lakes are two transboundary watersheds that are at risk from similar environmental stressors including nutrient enrichment, hydrologic modifications, chemicals of emerging concern, and the overarching stressor of climate change. Although located in different geographical regions of the world, both watersheds are governed in a multilevel governance setting with many layers of decision makers including global, national, governmental, regional, municipal, and community levels. Despite governance innovations, such as the Helsinki Convention in 1974 and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972 and their updated versions, both transboundary waters are under increasing stress from eutrophication. There are provisions in both the Helsinki Convention and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement for nutrient abatement measures, yet algal blooms abound in both waters, especially after precipitation events. This paper looks at the governance processes in both transboundary ecosystems, with the aim of highlighting governance barriers to eutrophication mitigation using four analytical lenses. A comparison of the two systems and the governance barriers shows that similar and unique challenges are faced in both regions, and the choice of analytical lens affects the perception of barriers and implementation actions. This is useful for policymakers in planning intervention strategies to tackle the stressor of nutrient enrichment in both regions.

The Role of Local Communities in the Construction of the European Territory: Evidence from Romania

European integration has notable impact on the territorial organization of Europe, especially after the adoption of the Treaty of Lisbon. Therefore, it became urgent to develop guidance and best practices in the fields of territorial cohesion, urban matters and spatial planning, including with regard to local governments. Despite complicated relations in a multi-level governance setting, or because of this setting, local governments are an integral part of the construction of an European territory. The paper argues that territorial cohesion and spatial planning goals will not be achieved without a complementary focus on local communities as the engines of growth. It aims to clarify issues relating the local communities’ role in shaping and implementing European strategies and concludes with some recommendations on territorial perspectives and new goals and tools that should drive the European Union towards higher democratic integration.

Accountability in the Context of Transgovernmental Networks: A Conceptual Approach

In the literature on transgovernmental networks (TGNs) a concern for a lack of accountability is oftentimes addressed. This type of network operates on an international level. In these networks a variety of governmental sub units interact. The cooperation of the sub-units is mostly highly technical. They operate at some distance from their executives. Because of this, an inadequacy of awareness of what these networks do, exists. This paper is about a lack in accountability literature and how it might be resolved. Current literature has paid much attention to the meso-level of accountability in relation to multilevel governance settings, yet it overlooks the importance of the other levels of analyses that are at play in these types of settings. These levels need to be assessed starting from the point of view of the individual bureaucrat. We argue that in TGNs there are a multitude of chains of accountability at play, which need not necessarily have a vertical nature. These lines may interact with one another. The lines we distinguish are: a) to the peers in the network; b) to peers in their ‘home’ network of stakeholders; c) to the organisation for whom the bureaucrat works on a day to day basis; d) to the ministry to which the organisation belongs; e) Parliament and/or the Senate and f) the international actor involved in the network as a partner. Even though the last level need not always be involved, in the case of European TGNs we frequently notice engagement of the European Commission. In this paper, we will thus propose an alternative way to address issues of accountability in TGNs. With the inclusion of these six different levels we provide a conceptual approach to the different lines of accountability in TGNs and add to the existing literature.

Traps of multi-level governance. Lessons from the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Italy

Different patterns of multi-level governance (MLG) have increasingly spread across Europe as a consequence of Europeanisation of public policies, aiming to encourage decentralised and participatory procedures conceived as a tool of more effective and accountable policy-making. It appears, however, that the implementation of multi-level policy designs may be rather problematic and does not necessarily lead to the expected performance improvements. Analysing the case of the EU Water Framework Directive, which promotes the creation of particular multi-level governance settings as a means of enacting a new holistic approach to water policies, this article explores the implementation difficulties that the Directive has encountered in Italy, despite some favourable pre-conditions existing in the country. Against such a backdrop, the study draws attention to a number of dimensions which should be further reflected upon in order to improve our understanding of implementation failures of MLG designs in the perspective of the process of Europeanisation.

Social–ecological network analysis of scale mismatches in estuary watershed restoration

Resource management boundaries seldom align with environmental systems, which can lead to social and ecological problems. Mapping and analyzing how resource management organizations in different areas collaborate can provide vital information to help overcome such misalignment. Few quantitative approaches exist, however, to analyze social collaborations alongside environmental patterns, especially among local and regional organizations (i.e., in multilevel governance settings). This paper develops and applies such an approach using social-ecological network analysis (SENA), which considers relationships among and between social and ecological units. The framework and methods are shown using an estuary restoration case from Puget Sound, United States. Collaboration patterns and quality are analyzed among local and regional organizations working in hydrologically connected areas. These patterns are correlated with restoration practitioners' assessments of the productivity of their collaborations to inform network theories for natural resource governance. The SENA is also combined with existing ecological data to jointly consider social and ecological restoration concerns. Results show potentially problematic areas in nearshore environments, where collaboration networks measured by density (percentage of possible network connections) and productivity are weakest. Many areas also have high centralization (a few nodes hold the network together), making network cohesion dependent on key organizations. Although centralization and productivity are inversely related, no clear relationship between density and productivity is observed. This research can help practitioners to identify where governance capacity needs strengthening and jointly consider social and ecological concerns. It advances SENA by developing a multilevel approach to assess social-ecological (or social-environmental) misalignments, also known as scale mismatches.

A Framework for city leadership in multilevel governance settings: the comparative contexts of Italy and the UK

This paper discusses the role of city leadership in the current multilevel governance settings and provides a conceptual framework for understanding the main elements of city leadership. Forms of political, managerial and civic leadership have been distinguished within city leadership and the main actors, structures, processes and followership patterns are examined using Italy and the UK as starting points of comparison. This comparative framework sheds a light on some common and different features in the city leadership patterns in Italy and the UK, such as the cross-cutting and multilayered administrative context for public service delivery; the common trend towards strengthening the executive side of political leadership rather than the representative one; the growing relevance of forms of civic leadership as a trigger for creating public and social value and for enhancing the resilience of the territories. Main differences deal instead with the role of central government in defining the role of city leaders, where Italy seems to experience a return towards greater centralization and controls, and the UK is experiencing an opposite trend towards the empowerment of local communities. Finally, the paper sets out some future directions for the research agenda on city leadership we are seeking to pursue.