Governance, Policy, and Institutions

Abstract

In present day public health the term “governance” has become widely used in recent years. However, there are many definitions of governance, samples of which can be found in many documents (cf. Dodgson et al. 2002; Finkelstein 1995; Hufty 2011; Rosenau 1995, 1999; World Bank 1991). In addition, discussions and definitions continue to abound (cf. the Web site of the Council on Foreign Relations (http://www.cfr.org/issue/global-governance/ri23). Whatever definition one wishes to work with the key consideration is that the word “government” is a noun and is an institutional word, of which more later in this chapter. Governance is more of a verbal concept, it is what a government or governmental type entity does. It might be a geopolitical government (nation-state), a corporate government (business entity), a sociopolitical government (tribe, family, etc.), or any number of different kinds of government, but governance is the physical exercise of management power and policy. The term government is also used more abstractly as a synonym for governance, as in the phrase, “Peace, Order and Good Government” found in Section 91 of the 1867 Canadian Constitution Act, as well as in a number of Commonwealth Country documents. In any case most definitions deal with the process by which decisions are made, the exercise of political authority, how institutions collaborate and delegate resources, and, in other words the management of power by institutions. From its beginnings public health has been involved with governance and it remains a key area for public health research and understanding (cf. McQueen et al. 2012a).