(Collaborative) governance for sustainability

I am interested in governance for sustainability, and the use of 'collaborative' or 'deliberative' procedures in particular. The holistic nature, complexity and dynamism of the systems we wish to interact with require not only new tools and approaches for understanding but also for management. Some approaches that already see limited use - including collaborative adaptive management and scenario planning - may be important pieces of the puzzle, but are unlikely to be panaceas. Furthermore, getting them properly implemented appears to be a daunting challenge in many cases.

I would like to explore one or more (as yet undetermined) tools that could be used to support governance for sustainability, and how they may be integrated into our governance systems. I would love to work with others interested in this area.

Please either post on this thread or write me at tschenk@mit.edu if you are interested! Thanks, Todd

My research interest is also located in the similar area of governance using collaborative/convening and Habermasian deliberative procedures at the local and community level. I have mainly used neo-institutional theory ( drawing more from the political economy and sociology/organizational theory and not from the neo-institutional economics thread), participation theories and actor-oriented social networking tools. Though from a natural science backgound with further grounding in economics, law and business management, besides the huge number of years already spent in rationalized government-sponsored institutions, I have gradually turned to reflexive, interpretive and constructivist thoughts as I explored from context to context.

Couple of years ago, I did an evaluation of the land degradation in the Indian province of Sikkim, which is located in a primarily Himalayan eco-system, as a part of my office work. But I was wondering if we can understand and interpret the results based on the concepts of local governance, institutions, participation and deliberative concepts. But that is just a thought. Could as well do any thing else!

Do you think we can work together on these?

Previously Todd Schenk wrote:

I am interested in governance for sustainability, and the use of 'collaborative' or 'deliberative' procedures in particular. The holistic nature, complexity and dynamism of the systems we wish to interact with require not only new tools and approaches for understanding but also for management. Some approaches that already see limited use - including collaborative adaptive management and scenario planning - may be important pieces of the puzzle, but are unlikely to be panaceas. Furthermore, getting them properly implemented appears to be a daunting challenge in many cases.

I would like to explore one or more (as yet undetermined) tools that could be used to support governance for sustainability, and how they may be integrated into our governance systems. I would love to work with others interested in this area.

Please either post on this thread or write me at tschenk@mit.edu if you are interested! Thanks, Todd