| dc.description.abstract | Network governance can enhance democratic practice
by furnishing new routes for actors to deliberate, make,
and execute public policy. But it is hindered by a lack
of political oversight, limited democratic competence of
new organizational forms, and informality of operation.
Little research has been conducted on the democratic
performance of governance networks, and the methodology
is poorly developed. Quality-of-democracy studies
of national governmental and political systems off er a
starting point. Th eir criteria-based method is useful in
accessing the democratic “hardware” of formal entities,
such as partnerships and hybrids, but it does not enable
data to be gathered on democratic “software” — the informal
day-to-day practices of actors in networks. Interpretive
approaches off er a way forward. Narrative analysis,
qualitative interviews using a criteria-based instrument,
and Q-methodology provide routes into democratic
software. Th ey enable the researcher to move beyond the
analysis of institutional nodes and to understand the
democratic performance of the wider governance network. | |
