Collaborative Strategies for Robust Governance in Turbulent Times (TURBGOV)

Turbulence is a new and promising concept for capturing situations when existing governance arrangements are challenged by the collision of elements such as complex problems, rapid scaling, uncertain problem diagnoses and solutions, and severe time constraints. In turbulent times, the rational linear decision-making model is unlikely to succeed, and standard solutions miss their rapidly moving target. Instead, what is needed is a pragmatic, flexible and scalable problem-solving that will often require the pooling of knowledge and resources from a variety of public and private actors. Growing turbulence calls for robust governance that makes it possible to act swiftly, flexibly and legitimately in response to uncertain and unpredictable situations. This project develops and applies a new theory of robust governance. It seeks to provide proof of concept through empirical studies of local responses and adaptation to refugee streams, pandemics and global warming in Norwegian municipalities. It also develops a tool kit for robust governance of turbulence to be used by practitioners. Given their extensive responsibilities, local governments in Norway provide a good environment for developing new theoretical frameworks for coping with turbulence. Governance responses to the influx of refugees, infectious diseases and climate crisis provide recent, present and persistent experiences that will lend themselves to careful analysis since they are all marked by a high degree of turbulence. Also, the project will examine how disruptive technologies and new digital platforms can enhance (or, potentially, undermine) robust governance. The proposed project is organized in 4 work packages, and will bring together highly competent researchers from different disciplines, draw on state-of-the-art theories and methods, and use innovative dissemination methods that include the development of training programs for local and regional government officials