Disentangling scale approaches in governance research: comparing monocentric, multilevel, and adaptive governance

The question of how to govern the multiscale problems in today’s network society is an important topic in the fields of public administration, political sciences, and environmental sciences. How scales are defined, studied, and dealt with varies substantially within and across these fields. This paper aims to reduce the existing conceptual confusion regarding scales by disentangling three representative approaches that address both governance and scaling: monocentric governance, multilevel governance, and adaptive governance. It does so by analyzing the differences in (1) underlying views on governing, (2) assumptions about scales, (3) dominant problem definitions regarding scales, and (4) preferred responses for dealing with multiple scales. Finally, this paper identifies research opportunities within and across these approaches

Transformation in a changing climate: a research agenda

The concept of transformation in relation to climate and other global change is increasingly receiving attention. The concept provides important opportunities to help examine how rapid and fundamental change to address contemporary global challenges can be facilitated. This paper contributes to discussions about transformation by providing a social science, arts and humanities perspective to open up discussion and set out a research agenda about what it means to transform and the dimensions, limitations and possibilities for transformation. Key focal areas include: (1) change theories, (2) knowing whether transformation has occurred or is occurring; (3) knowledge production and use; (4), governance; (5) how dimensions of social justice inform transformation; (6) the limits of human nature; (7) the role of the utopian impulse; (8) working with the present to create new futures; and (9) human consciousness. In addition to presenting a set of research questions around these themes the paper highlights that much deeper engagement with complex social processes is required; that there are vast opportunities for social science, humanities and the arts to engage more directly with the climate challenge; that there is a need for a massive upscaling of efforts to understand and shape desired forms of change; and that, in addition to helping answer important questions about how to facilitate change, a key role of the social sciences, humanities and the arts in addressing climate change is to critique current societal patterns and to open up new thinking. Through such critique and by being more explicit about what is meant by transformation, greater opportunities will be provided for opening up a dialogue about change, possible futures and about what it means to re-shape the way in which people live

Diasporas, Development and Governance in the Global South

Diasporas are increasingly recognized as key development resources for low- and middle-income countries. Thus, governments in the Global South are turning to their own extra-national diasporic populations in order to boost economic development, build global trading and investment networks and increase their political leverage overseas. The main goals of the conference on Diasporas, Development and Governance in the Global South were to enhance international understanding of the role of diasporas in development, identify best practices for policy engagement of diasporas and facilitate Canadian diaspora engagement in development. The conference focused on three main areas: Critical examination of efforts by international organizations and governments in the South and North to facilitate development in the Global South through engagement with diasporas; Identification of new trends and best practices in diaspora engagement; and Assessment of the current and potential role of migrant diasporas in Canada in the economic, social and political development of the Global South. The conference was open to the public and brought together leading international researchers, policy makers, and diaspora organizations for a focused discussion and dialogue on the governance of diaspora engagement

Economic Governance to Expand Commercial Wetlands: Within- and Cross-Scale Challenges

Commercial wetlands are defined as wetlands directed by an entrepreneur with the intention of making a profit. The combination of ecosystem services that commercial wetlands can provide seems to be an attractive societal perspective. Nevertheless, these wetlands are not developed on a large scale in the Netherlands. This paper discusses different types of economic governance that could facilitate the development of new commercial wetlands and addresses challenges that have to be overcome. We conclude that developing governance solutions that address ecosystem services with different scales is crucial for the introduction of commercial wetlands. Also, distinct and autonomous property rights of entrepreneurs need to be addressed

BOA GOVERNANÇA E O USO DE REDES SOCIAIS PARA O AGRONEGÓCIO NA NIGÉRIA

The world population increases rapidly, and hence food supply, proportional to the need of the teeming population, remains a critical challenge confronting stakeholders. Thus, there is a need to develop strategies to boost agriculture, and this course must be planned, arranged, tested, evaluated, and implemented. In this context, good governance and the use of social networks are proven to make a tremendous contribution in boosting agricultural outputs. Nigeria was an agro-based nation until oil products were discovered in the middle of the 1950s. This discovery led to the country’s over-dependence on oil products, which negatively altered its level of food production. However, the current administration is determined to “diversify the country’s oil-denominated economy by investing more in agriculture and encouraging farming. Thus, this paper discusses how good governance and the use of social networks can help promote agribusiness in the Nigerian context. Discussion of this kind is crucial as good governance determines the success or failure of a given nation, and society depends, to a certain extent, on the media for information about various aspects of life, including agriculture. The outcomes of this study are expected to advance our knowledge and suggest further evidence-based research on good governance and the use of social media for agribusiness promotion.    A população mundial aumenta rapidamente e, portanto, o abastecimento de alimentos, proporcional à necessidade da população abundante, continua sendo um desafio crítico para as partes interessadas. Assim, é necessário desenvolver estratégias para impulsionar a agricultura, e este curso deve ser planejado, organizado, testado, avaliado e implementado. Nesse contexto, está comprovado que a boa governança e o uso de redes sociais têm uma enorme contribuição para o aumento da produção agrícola. A Nigéria era uma nação de base agrícola até que produtos petrolíferos foram descobertos em meados da década de 1950. Esta descoberta levou à dependência excessiva do país de derivados de petróleo, o que alterou negativamente seu nível de produção de alimentos. No entanto, a administração atual está determinada a “diversificar a economia do país denominada em petróleo, investindo mais na agricultura e incentivando a agricultura. Assim, este artigo discute como a boa governança e o uso de redes sociais podem ajudar a promover o agronegócio no contexto nigeriano. Discussões desse tipo são cruciais, pois a boa governança determina o sucesso ou o fracasso de uma dada nação, e a sociedade depende, até certo ponto, da mídia para obter informações sobre vários aspectos da vida, incluindo a agricultura. Espera-se que os resultados deste estudo aumentem nosso conhecimento e sugiram mais pesquisas baseadas em evidências sobre boa governança e o uso de mídias sociais para a promoção do agronegócio