Governance Networks
Governance Networks govern a global resource, but unlike traditional institutions they are not controlled by states. They foreshadow a world where numerous governance networks arise to match the scope of the new economic, environmental and security challenges—with vast networks of people and ideas united with the full complement of skills and resources needed to translate good ideas into action.
The best example of a governance network is the Internet Governance Network, a semi-formal network that is curated, orchestrated and otherwise governed by what at one time would have been an unthinkable collection of individuals, civil society organizations and corporations, with the tacit and in some cases active support of nation states. This ecosystem not only works, but its legitimacy, inclusiveness and consensus-oriented decision-making define it as one of the most effective governance systems in the world.
We have studied several examples that tell us much about how to govern a collective resource through a multi-stakeholder governance network, rather than a state-based model.
GSN Research Papers providing insight into the promise of Governance Networks include:
The New Architecture of Global Governance