Mandating inclusiveness: local actors and mandated governance networks

MASTER`S WEEK 2021

Mandated networks have been growing in relevance in a wide range of policy areas. These (mandated networks) are a collaborative arrangement instigated by some external third party (i.e., a higher level of government) to attain a specific goal, and is required to meet at least some predefined series of characteristics set by that third party (often in exchange of incentives and/or penalties). Mandated networks generally leave some room for local variation within the imposed constraints, which draws immediate attention to the dynamics and role of local actors in the establishment of a specific network configuration.

Laro Gonzalez’s master thesis focuses on two such networks: Saja Nansa, and Ason Aguera Trasmiera in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Cantabria. These had similar contextual conditions at the onset, but different dynamics when exposed to the same mandate, the EU-funded rural development program LEADER, which has inclusion requirements.

Laro’s presentation will be followed by a discussion with Anne Lise Fimreite.

Join the webinar on zoom.

Laro Gonzalez
holds a MPhil in Public Administration at the University of Bergen, an MA in Political Studies from the University of Aberdeen, and a Post Graduate Degree in International Relations from the University of Amsterdam (ASIR). He has 15 years of work experience with UN and NGOs in humanitarian aid and development in post-conflict and transition countries, primarily in the sectors of Governance, Conflict, Human Rights and Local Development.

Anne Lise Fimreite
is a Professor at the Department of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen. In her research, Fimreite has concentrated on r
elationship between central and local government, l
ocal democracy, r
egionalisation, g
overnance, m
ultilevel governance, h
omeland security.

Lise Rakner

is a professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen, and a political scientist focusing on democratisation with a particular emphasis on Southern and Eastern Africa. She is a project leader for the
Breaking BAD project
and a Research Leader for the Democracy & Law Unit at LawTransform.

Photo by
Fernand De Canne on
Unsplash