| Member Profile : Olivier Walther |
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Olivier Walther
Centre for Population, Poverty and Public Policy Studies, Department of Geography
PO Box 48
Differdange, Luxembourg, Luxembourg 4501
Phone : +352.58.58.55.317
E-mail : olivier.walther@ceps.lu
Website : http://metrolux.ceps.lu
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| SunBelt XXX - June 29 to July 04, 2010 - Riva del Garda Fierecongressi | | Abstract : Local governance networks in Europe: Preliminary findings |
The structure of local governance networks has particular interest for SNA. Actors are strongly embedded in their locations and geographic proximity can be contrasted with network propinquity or other relational attributes of actors. In this paper we present the background to a study of local governance networks in four cross-border city-regions across Europe. In our work we hypothesise that there is a relation between network topology and geographical topology. We test for distortions in network structure related to homophily effects related to culture, language and identity.
In order to analyse the configuration of networks in local governance we require both the identification of the role played by actors and the evaluation of the nature of their relationships. The objective is to know which actors play a central role in strategic planning and territorial promotion and what are the determinants of their power relations. We focus on formal and informal relations between institutional actors, especially cities on the one hand and central states on the other. Building on the literature on new metropolitan governance, we are interested in whether networks are affected by the role of the city administrations in national policy space. We assume that municipalities at the core of the metropolitan areas play a central role in the construction of a cross-border metropolitan cooperation unless they are state capitals.
Central to our inquiry is the role of political actors in relation to other actors embedded in local networks. Are political elites in a central position in these networks and if so, what are their motivations? This type of questioning requires taking into account the individual actors in addition to organizations and in particular the role of political entrepreneurs in political leadership and network brokerage roles. We also investigate the role played by non-political actors, in particular economic decision-makers, but also civic associations, planners, experts and consultants of cross-border cooperation. Following the literature on metropolitan cooperation in Europe, our hypothesis is that the opening up of networks to actors in the private sphere is a motivating factor, as private initiatives are likely to stimulate actions taken by public stakeholders. |
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