46
S. Jentoft
This chapter demonstrates how justice issues tend to play out in fi sheries
governance by drawing on experiences from different parts of the world. It is argued
that in order to enhance social justice, hence increasing governability, one needs to
look at both the system-to-be-governed and the governing system. Emphasis must
also be placed on the interaction between the two systems. More precisely, this
chapter deals with two closely related questions: (a) How should we think of social
justice from an interactive governance perspective; and, conversely, (b) how should
we think of interactive governance from a justice perspective? The short answers to
both questions are as follows: in the fi rst instance, we would use the governance
framework, as outlined and explained in Chap. 2 of this book and in Kooiman ( 2003 ),
to analyze social justice issues that relate to fi sheries. We apply this framework to
get a grip on social justice as something that may inhibit or enhance governability,
as it pertains to resource management. In the latter instance we draw on the academic
literature on social justice to inform the governance framework and our search for
potential and actual governability impediments and opportunities. For such an
endeavor, there is a vast reserve of literature to learn from.
In arguing both for the need to address the ways in which the interactive governance theory may help to elucidate justice issues in fi sheries governance, as well as
the manner in which justice principles may be applied in fi sheries governance, this
chapter explores the linkages between governability and social justice. Governability
may be enhanced by the implementation of sound justice principles; justice being
something governance systems should aim for from both a normative and a functional perspective, i.e. for its own sake and for the workings of the system-tobe-governed and the governing system. In this chapter, I fi rst brie fl y summarize
social justice theory and introduce its basic conceptual characteristics. Next, I
examine the relevance of this discourse for fi sheries governance as it pertains to the
three governance orders – fi rst, second and “meta.” Thereafter, I discuss governability as a condition for making governance systems work, and how a governability
assessment can be applied in research focused on social justice in fi sheries. I argue
that in enhancing governability, one needs to pay as much attention to procedural
justice, i.e. how justice claims and claimants are recognized and included in the
governance process, as one does to distributional justice and the fairness of the
institutional design of governance systems.
Justice Concepts
There is more than one way of thinking about justice. So too, the term is dif fi cult to
de fi ne and can mean several things. Is treating people in the same way always just?
Whose justice are we talking about – and with respect to what? Could privileged treatment (positive discrimination) in some instances be just? If yes, when? The idea that
several justice concepts exist and that con fl icting justice principles may apply to the
same situation is a challenging one from a governability perspective. It is also easily
observed in fi sheries where the issue of open access, for instance, as well as the
S. Jentoft
This chapter demonstrates how justice issues tend to play out in fi sheries
governance by drawing on experiences from different parts of the world. It is argued
that in order to enhance social justice, hence increasing governability, one needs to
look at both the system-to-be-governed and the governing system. Emphasis must
also be placed on the interaction between the two systems. More precisely, this
chapter deals with two closely related questions: (a) How should we think of social
justice from an interactive governance perspective; and, conversely, (b) how should
we think of interactive governance from a justice perspective? The short answers to
both questions are as follows: in the fi rst instance, we would use the governance
framework, as outlined and explained in Chap. 2 of this book and in Kooiman ( 2003 ),
to analyze social justice issues that relate to fi sheries. We apply this framework to
get a grip on social justice as something that may inhibit or enhance governability,
as it pertains to resource management. In the latter instance we draw on the academic
literature on social justice to inform the governance framework and our search for
potential and actual governability impediments and opportunities. For such an
endeavor, there is a vast reserve of literature to learn from.
In arguing both for the need to address the ways in which the interactive governance theory may help to elucidate justice issues in fi sheries governance, as well as
the manner in which justice principles may be applied in fi sheries governance, this
chapter explores the linkages between governability and social justice. Governability
may be enhanced by the implementation of sound justice principles; justice being
something governance systems should aim for from both a normative and a functional perspective, i.e. for its own sake and for the workings of the system-tobe-governed and the governing system. In this chapter, I fi rst brie fl y summarize
social justice theory and introduce its basic conceptual characteristics. Next, I
examine the relevance of this discourse for fi sheries governance as it pertains to the
three governance orders – fi rst, second and “meta.” Thereafter, I discuss governability as a condition for making governance systems work, and how a governability
assessment can be applied in research focused on social justice in fi sheries. I argue
that in enhancing governability, one needs to pay as much attention to procedural
justice, i.e. how justice claims and claimants are recognized and included in the
governance process, as one does to distributional justice and the fairness of the
institutional design of governance systems.
Justice Concepts
There is more than one way of thinking about justice. So too, the term is dif fi cult to
de fi ne and can mean several things. Is treating people in the same way always just?
Whose justice are we talking about – and with respect to what? Could privileged treatment (positive discrimination) in some instances be just? If yes, when? The idea that
several justice concepts exist and that con fl icting justice principles may apply to the
same situation is a challenging one from a governability perspective. It is also easily
observed in fi sheries where the issue of open access, for instance, as well as the