Centre for Democratic Network Governance is a collaborative research centre with a strong international profile. The research project started January 1, 2003 and the Centre is located at Department of Social Sciences, Roskilde University, Denmark. However, the research will be conducted by researchers from both Roskilde University, University of Copenhagen, Aalborg University and Copenhagen Business School. Please see Members for list of research team, Advisory board and Directors.

Background

The idea of forming Centre for the Study of Democratic Network Governance takes its inspiration from fundamental aspects of Danish society. We find a remarkable coexistence of a strong state and strong civic individualism, which together have conditioned the creation of a long tradition of network governance. In addition, there is a concern for democracy and democratisation at all levels of society. As a result, Denmark provides a suitable point of departure for international research about democratic network governance.

The first generation of governance network research

The first generation of governance network research has successfully demonstrated the widespread use of networks and their qualities as mechanisms of governance. It has assessed the challenge of network governance to traditional distinctions between private/public, politics/administration and national/international. Furthermore, it has raised important, but yet unanswered, questions about the possibility of governing society, the role of the state in governing networks, and the democratic potentials and dangers of network governance. A large number of distinguished social scientists have contributed to the development of the first generation, but now it is time for reaping the benefits by creating a second generation of governance network research, which can scrutinize the consequences of networks for democracy and efficiency in public policy.
See Resources for key publications and working papers.

Objectives

The Centre has four objectives:

1. to analyse and clarify the various uses of concepts and typologies linked to governance networks.
2. to understand how and why governance networks are formed, how they develop and function, and how they contribute to democracy and efficiency.
3. to elaborate a synthetic theory of democratic governance and some methodological guide-lines that can help us analyse the democratic challenge of network governance.
4. to develop criteria for assessing the performance of actual governance networks in terms of democracy and efficiency.
   These tasks will be accomplished within an integrated research program that emphasizes joint and collaborative research.

Theory

Theoretically, the Centre takes its inspiration from theories of governance networks, institutional theories, and theories of democratic governance. We analyse the theories along two lines. The first one confronts theories based on a calculus approach with theories based on a culture approach; the second confronts theories based on a conflict approach with theories based on a coordination approach. Combining these two lines into a four-fold table permits us to structure the competing theories of networks, institutions and democracy in a coherent way. Based on such a multi-theoretical framework, we will aim to generate a host of propositions and research questions to guide empirical analysis of governance networks at different and interconnected levels (local, national and transnational).

Case studies

Analysing the complex and dynamic interaction of actors within governance networks calls for qualitative case studies and process analysis from a bottom-up perspective. As such, when the theoretical and methodological foundations for the empirical analysis of governance network are laid out, the Centre will conduct a number of case studies at different and crosscutting levels of analysis.
See the research projects of the Centre.