Project

New modes of governance - Katrien Termeer

Prof. Katrien Termeer’s research addresses the governance of wicked problems in the policy domains of Wageningen University, such as transitions towards sustainable agro-food chains, adaptation to climate change and vital rural areas.

She studies the emergence of new forms of governance varying from self-governing communities and public private partnerships to global round tables and private certifying systems. They all cut across the traditional jurisdiction scales, the routines of organizations, the boundaries between the public and private sector, and the relation between authorities and civil society. She is especially interested in how governance actors, constrained and enabled by historically grown institutions, make sense to these challenges in day to day practices. The main theoretical concepts in her work are emergent chance, sensemaking, configurations/networks, leadership, innovative governance arrangements, and reflective action research. Her research is both scientifically relevant and useful and recognizable to practitioners. She is author and (co-) author of many refereed publications and (edited) books. In the period 2006-2012 she (co-) chaired the scientific programmes Governance of Climate Adaptation; Informational Governance, Institutions for Climate Change; Scaling and Governance and Transitions Towards Sustainable Agriculture, Food chains and Peri-urban Areas.