The Changing Role of the State in Dutch Regional Partnerships

Wiebren Kuindersma and Froukje G Boonstra

Environment and Planning C, 2010, vol. 28, issue 6, 1045-1062

Abstract: We address the changing relationship of the state vis-à -vis regional partnerships on issues of state policy performance, partnership legitimacy, and the role and position of the state. Theoretical expectations regarding these issues differ greatly according to whether a state-centric or a society-centric perspective is adopted. A general case study of Dutch area-based rural policy (1988–2008) reveals that changes predominantly lean towards the state-centric perspective. These changes include an increased usage of regional partnerships as state instruments, an improved democratic anchorage of regional partnerships, and a continuation of the state's privileged position. An embedded case study shows that individual partnerships can continue to develop in other directions and can institutionalise into largely self-organising partnerships. We conclude by showing that regional partnerships can serve as state instruments, provided that a certain degree of self-organisation is possible. Overregulation of regional partnerships could eventually undermine their overall performance.

Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envirc:v:28:y:2010:i:6:p:1045-1062

DOI: 10.1068/c09188

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