The Practice of Water Policy Governance Networks: An International Comparative Case Study Analysis

Abstract

Governments are increasingly using network governance arrangements to engage stakeholders in tackling complex water policy issues. Claims that this involves a shift from government to governance, with associated loss of state authority, are challenged by empirical literature. We draw on governmentality theory to explore the practices and power dynamics of water policy networks in six significant longitudinal case studies in Australia, the United States, and France. Though contexts differ, the analysis highlights the dynamic nature of these complex policy arenas, where governance arrangements and objectives are periodically revised in response to changing pressures. Governments clearly retain decision-making authority despite adopting more deliberative, networked approaches, and implementation remains challenging. Findings suggest that the hybrid and multiscalar nature of water policy governance warrants a more sophisticated understanding of the power dynamics and political dimensions of networked governance employed within hierarchical systems.