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Accountable Government through Collaborative Governance?

Author

Listed:
  • Eva Sørensen

    (Department of Social Sciences, NORD University, 8049 Nordland, Norway
    Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

  • Jacob Torfing

    (Department of Social Sciences, NORD University, 8049 Nordland, Norway
    Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

Abstract

Governance researchers have repeatedly discussed how to make public governance more accountable given the relatively ‘thin’ accountability of representative government. Recent decades have seen the growth of new, compensatory forms of accountability. However, these measures do not seem have satisfied the demands for strengthening public sector accountability. Drawing on the concept of social accountability, this article challenges common wisdom in arguing that collaborative governance may enhance public governance accountability, although it also raises new accountability problems that must be tackled. The article develops a heuristic framework for empirical studies of accountability, which improves the impact of collaborative forms of governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva Sørensen & Jacob Torfing, 2021. "Accountable Government through Collaborative Governance?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:11:y:2021:i:4:p:127-:d:674420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Xiaoqin Guo & Xiang Li, 2022. "A Study on Community Public Safety Collaborative Governance Regime in the Background of COVID-19: Empirical Analysis Based on China and South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Dejan Ravšelj & Lan Umek & Ljupčo Todorovski & Aleksander Aristovnik, 2022. "A Review of Digital Era Governance Research in the First Two Decades: A Bibliometric Study," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-27, April.

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