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Governance Networks: Conceptualization, Genealogy, and Research Frontiers

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Geographies of Urban Governance

Abstract

The benefits of governance networks in the field of urban governance are too often presumed rather than theoretically and empirically demonstrated. This chapter addresses this issue through a thorough conceptualization of networks. This is followed by a genealogy of the emergence and acceptance of networks in the domains of governance via their connections to various projects or trends within the cultural political economy. Lastly, research frontiers that position governance networks and their capacity to promote inclusive and sustainable cities as phenomena in need of explanation and critique are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Ulrich Mans, Peter Knorringa, and N. Sridharan for their comments on earlier versions of this chapter. Also, it was my good fortune to have Isa Baud as both my master’s thesis supervisor and my doctoral promoter. Usual disclaimers apply.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Independent researcher, PhD University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Tara van Dijk Ph.D.

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  1. Tara van Dijk Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Tara van Dijk Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Joyeeta Gupta

  2. University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Karin Pfeffer

  3. University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Hebe Verrest

  4. University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Mirjam Ros-Tonen

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van Dijk, T. (2015). Governance Networks: Conceptualization, Genealogy, and Research Frontiers. In: Gupta, J., Pfeffer, K., Verrest, H., Ros-Tonen, M. (eds) Geographies of Urban Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21272-2_3

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