Andreas Thiel, William A. Blomquist, and Dustin E. Garrick (eds.): Governing Complexity: Analyzing and Applying Polycentricity

Excerpt

There is growing academic interest in exploring the idea of polycentricity and applying it to social challenges. In the hyperconnected and complex world in which we live, many of the main challenges we face are actually polycentric governance situations. Complex governance issues such as financial instability, global warming, pandemics, and migration challenges all have some relevant features of polycentricity. Yet most academics and policy makers are still trapped, as Elinor Ostrom pointed out, in the Hobbesian paradigm of thinking about governing social dilemmas from one single center of power. Governing Complexity provides an updated conception of polycentric governance relevant to these, and similar, issues. With eleven contributions from leading academics in the field, the book makes three valuable claims about polycentric governance. …