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  • © 2014

Evolutionary Governance Theory

An Introduction

  • A new mapping of the middle ground between libertarianism and social engineering
  • Offers a new understanding of governance: co-evolution of actors, institutions and expertise
  • A new understanding of dependencies that clarifies the spaces for policy experiment
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Economics (BRIEFSECONOMICS)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
  2. Introduction

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Introduction

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 3-6
  3. Governance as Evolution

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7
    2. Theoretical Sources of EGT

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 9-15
    3. Foundational Concepts

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 17-25
  4. Building Blocks for Evolutionary Governance Theory

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 27-27
    2. Evolutionary Paths

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 29-33
    3. Seeing, Making and Distributing Things

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 35-44
    4. The Power of Stories

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 45-54
    5. Governance Paths and Reality Effects

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 55-62
  5. Applying EGT

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 63-63
    2. Governance and Its Categories

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 65-78
    3. Overview of the EGT Model

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 79-85
    4. Policy Formulation and EGT: Making Governance Work

      • Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Martijn Duineveld
      Pages 87-95

About this book

​This short books offers the reader a remarkable new perspective on the way markets, laws and societies evolve together. It can be of use to anyone interested in development, market and public sector reform, public administration, politics & law. Based on a wide variety of case studies on three continents and a variety of conceptual sources, the authors develop a theory that clarifies the nature and functioning of dependencies that mark governance evolutions. This in turn delineates in an entirely new manner the spaces open for policy experiment. As such, it offers a new mapping of the middle ground between libertarianism and social engineering. Theoretically, the approach draws on a wide array of sources: institutional & development economics, systems theories, post-structuralism, actor- network theories, planning theory and legal studies. 

Authors and Affiliations

  • Strategic Communication, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Kristof van Assche

  • Spatial Planning, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Raoul Beunen

  • Cultural Geography, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Martijn Duineveld

About the authors

Kristof Van Assche is interested in evolution and innovation in governance, with focus areas in development, environment, and spatial planning & design. He is currently Visiting Associate Professor in Strategic Communication, Wageningen University, and Research Fellow at ZEF/ Center for Development Research, Bonn University. Teaching and research in various countries in Europe, North America, the Caucasus and Central Asia. His work is often comparative in nature, includes a fieldwork component and theoretical reflection: institutional & development economics, systems theories, post-structuralism.

Raoul Beunen is Assistant Professor Spatial Planning at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He works on Evolutionary Governance Theory in the fields of natural resource management and spatial planning. His research deals with policy implementation, policy integration, participatory approaches and the performance of legal institutions. He teaches planning theory and methodology with a focus on reflective and participatory learning.

Martijn Duineveld is Assistant Professor Cultural Geography at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He works on Evolutionary Governance Theory in the fields of geography, urban- and coastal planning. He is especially interested in the dynamics of power, knowledge and places. He teaches in courses on human geography, research methods, cultural geography, empowerment, sustainability, landscape architecture and planning. He is active in both academic and societal debates on citizenship, governance and democratisation.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access