14
J. Kooiman and M. Bavinck
larger fi shery, as well as within larger coastal dynamics. Its governing system too is
nested in larger administrative units that scale up to the international level. What
happens in any one system at a particular level has consequences for other levels.
Societal systems are ‘rich’ in the sense that their parts and their interrelations
have many facets and histories. Systems also tally with the adage that the whole is
more than the sum of its parts – they possess qualities that go beyond the features of
the individual units. In keeping with this understanding, interactive governance considers governability as a composite property. Phrased differently, the governability
of any societal system depends on the nature of the system-to-be-governed, the
governing system, and the governing interactions taken together.
Diversity, Complexity, Dynamics and Scale
Interactive governance theory argues that societal systems are inherently diverse,
complex and dynamic, and that these traits pose fundamental challenges to their
governability at different scales. Although diversity, complexity and dynamics are
crucial, their intensity varies from one system to the next. One societal system may
therefore be less diverse, complex and dynamic than another, with important consequences for their overall governability. That this is true also for fi sheries is illustrated by Bavinck and Kooiman (Chap. 8 , this volume).
The diversity, complexity and dynamics of the relations between parts ensure
uncertainty and unpredictability in system behavior. There is nothing unusual about
this. Uncertainty and unpredictability are simply the consequence of actors or units
acting and interacting without anyone having the chance to make out what the
impact of these actions and interactions are on the system as a whole. In many
cases the outcomes of actions or interactions are indirect and delayed because of
system effects. In other cases there may be all kinds of unexpected side effects
(Jervis 1997 ) .
Mechanisms like these have important consequences for those taking part in a
system, but also for their study. Reductionist approaches, which focus on speci fi c
actors or interactions, fail because they lack a larger (system) picture. But holistic
approaches, in which the system as a whole is the unit of analysis, are also fruitless.
Combinations need to be made. In the meantime it is necessary to keep in mind
that, citing Cilliers, “we never can know complex, dynamic and diverse things
completely” ( 2002 , 79). Uncertainty therefore always quali fi es our assessments of
governability, thereby suggesting a precautionary approach.
We noted above that systems rarely exist in isolation, and that it is useful to view
them as part of bigger wholes. This directs us to further examine the relevance of
‘scale’ for governance and governability. Fisheries and coastal zones, as natural
systems and the social and governance systems related to them, function on varying
spatial and temporal scales. The matching of scale in the operation of these systems
is therefore an important aspect affecting governability.
J. Kooiman and M. Bavinck
larger fi shery, as well as within larger coastal dynamics. Its governing system too is
nested in larger administrative units that scale up to the international level. What
happens in any one system at a particular level has consequences for other levels.
Societal systems are ‘rich’ in the sense that their parts and their interrelations
have many facets and histories. Systems also tally with the adage that the whole is
more than the sum of its parts – they possess qualities that go beyond the features of
the individual units. In keeping with this understanding, interactive governance considers governability as a composite property. Phrased differently, the governability
of any societal system depends on the nature of the system-to-be-governed, the
governing system, and the governing interactions taken together.
Diversity, Complexity, Dynamics and Scale
Interactive governance theory argues that societal systems are inherently diverse,
complex and dynamic, and that these traits pose fundamental challenges to their
governability at different scales. Although diversity, complexity and dynamics are
crucial, their intensity varies from one system to the next. One societal system may
therefore be less diverse, complex and dynamic than another, with important consequences for their overall governability. That this is true also for fi sheries is illustrated by Bavinck and Kooiman (Chap. 8 , this volume).
The diversity, complexity and dynamics of the relations between parts ensure
uncertainty and unpredictability in system behavior. There is nothing unusual about
this. Uncertainty and unpredictability are simply the consequence of actors or units
acting and interacting without anyone having the chance to make out what the
impact of these actions and interactions are on the system as a whole. In many
cases the outcomes of actions or interactions are indirect and delayed because of
system effects. In other cases there may be all kinds of unexpected side effects
(Jervis 1997 ) .
Mechanisms like these have important consequences for those taking part in a
system, but also for their study. Reductionist approaches, which focus on speci fi c
actors or interactions, fail because they lack a larger (system) picture. But holistic
approaches, in which the system as a whole is the unit of analysis, are also fruitless.
Combinations need to be made. In the meantime it is necessary to keep in mind
that, citing Cilliers, “we never can know complex, dynamic and diverse things
completely” ( 2002 , 79). Uncertainty therefore always quali fi es our assessments of
governability, thereby suggesting a precautionary approach.
We noted above that systems rarely exist in isolation, and that it is useful to view
them as part of bigger wholes. This directs us to further examine the relevance of
‘scale’ for governance and governability. Fisheries and coastal zones, as natural
systems and the social and governance systems related to them, function on varying
spatial and temporal scales. The matching of scale in the operation of these systems
is therefore an important aspect affecting governability.