366
J. Kooiman
of mutual understanding and the dominance of state authorities. In this context, it is
important to raise concerns about the need for participation and interaction with
other groups of societal stakeholders. In the chapter on food security (Chap. 6 )
for example, Pullin argues for a broader de fi nition of governance interactions.
Instead of the usual mono-sectoral management de fi nition, he espouses a crosssectoral approach that seriously considers the nature of a broader set of governance
interactions.
The Structural Level
We can also focus on the last term in the concept of governing interaction systems –
the notion of ‘system’. ’System’ suggests that we look at phenomena as wholes.
Diversity, complexity and dynamics play a considerable role here and must be considered. Similarly, scale, boundaries, nestedness and many other system attributes
warrant investigation. I will focus on three aspects that are of prime importance
when we looking at governing interactions in relation to governability. I will fi rstly
mention the features, diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale, as they are at the
center of our governability approach. Secondly, I want to call attention to what
Jentoft considers one of the most neglected issues in fi sheries governance, power
( 2007b ) . Thirdly, I will discuss the mix of the three governance modes, self, co- and
hierarchical, as a special subject for future research.
Features
The diversity of the interaction system can be expressed by the ways in which
such systems differ from each other. One might even go so far as to suggest that,
in relation to its governing system, every system-to-be-governed has its own
interaction system. For investigating the complexity of a governing interaction
system one has to realize that governance interactions and modes have multiple
interrelations and often overlap. Thus, ‘corporate actors’ or ‘policy entrepreneurs’, for example, derive their role and in fl uence from their participation in
many governing interactions, and use these strategically for special purposes.
With respect to the dynamics of the governing interaction systems, one may
hypothesize that shock changes will appear more frequently at the actor level,
while evolutionary shifts between modes of governance can be expected to occur
at the structural level. Finally, it will be quite apparent that scale is an important
variable in the study of governing interaction systems. For example, a smallscale fi shery in India will show quite different interaction patterns than those
characteristic of the European Union.
Systematic analyses of interaction patterns at the actor and structural levels are
relatively scarce. This book is a step in that direction, and an introduction to such
analyses can certainly be found in its chapters. The study of the role of Galician
women in mariculture activities (Chap. 13 ) makes it quite clear that interactions at
J. Kooiman
of mutual understanding and the dominance of state authorities. In this context, it is
important to raise concerns about the need for participation and interaction with
other groups of societal stakeholders. In the chapter on food security (Chap. 6 )
for example, Pullin argues for a broader de fi nition of governance interactions.
Instead of the usual mono-sectoral management de fi nition, he espouses a crosssectoral approach that seriously considers the nature of a broader set of governance
interactions.
The Structural Level
We can also focus on the last term in the concept of governing interaction systems –
the notion of ‘system’. ’System’ suggests that we look at phenomena as wholes.
Diversity, complexity and dynamics play a considerable role here and must be considered. Similarly, scale, boundaries, nestedness and many other system attributes
warrant investigation. I will focus on three aspects that are of prime importance
when we looking at governing interactions in relation to governability. I will fi rstly
mention the features, diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale, as they are at the
center of our governability approach. Secondly, I want to call attention to what
Jentoft considers one of the most neglected issues in fi sheries governance, power
( 2007b ) . Thirdly, I will discuss the mix of the three governance modes, self, co- and
hierarchical, as a special subject for future research.
Features
The diversity of the interaction system can be expressed by the ways in which
such systems differ from each other. One might even go so far as to suggest that,
in relation to its governing system, every system-to-be-governed has its own
interaction system. For investigating the complexity of a governing interaction
system one has to realize that governance interactions and modes have multiple
interrelations and often overlap. Thus, ‘corporate actors’ or ‘policy entrepreneurs’, for example, derive their role and in fl uence from their participation in
many governing interactions, and use these strategically for special purposes.
With respect to the dynamics of the governing interaction systems, one may
hypothesize that shock changes will appear more frequently at the actor level,
while evolutionary shifts between modes of governance can be expected to occur
at the structural level. Finally, it will be quite apparent that scale is an important
variable in the study of governing interaction systems. For example, a smallscale fi shery in India will show quite different interaction patterns than those
characteristic of the European Union.
Systematic analyses of interaction patterns at the actor and structural levels are
relatively scarce. This book is a step in that direction, and an introduction to such
analyses can certainly be found in its chapters. The study of the role of Galician
women in mariculture activities (Chap. 13 ) makes it quite clear that interactions at