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Conditions and Constrains for Reflexive Governance of Industrial Risks: The Case of the South Durban Industrial Basin, South Africa

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  • Llewellyn Leonard

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Johannesburg 1709, South Africa)

  • Rolf Lidskog

    (Environmental Sociology Section, School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden)

Abstract

Within sustainability development paradigms, state governance is considered important in interventions to address risks produced by the industrial society. However, there is largely a lack of understanding, especially in the Global South, about the nature and workings of the governance institutions necessary to tackle risks effectively. Reflexive governance, as a new mode of governance, has been developed as a way to be more inclusive and more reflexive and respond to complex risks. Conversely, there is limited scholarly work that has examined the theoretical and empirical foundations of this governance approach, especially how it may unfold in the Global South. This paper explores the conditions and constrains for reflexive governance in a particular case: that of the South Durban Industrial Basin. South Durban is one of the most polluted regions in southern Africa and has been the most active industrial site of contention between local residents and industry and government during apartheid and into the new democracy. Empirical analysis found a number of constrains involved in enabling reflexive governance. It also found that a close alliance between government and industry to promote economic development has overshadowed social and environmental protection. Reflexive governance practitioners need to be cognisant of its applicability across diverse geographic settings and beyond western notions of reflexive governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Llewellyn Leonard & Rolf Lidskog, 2021. "Conditions and Constrains for Reflexive Governance of Industrial Risks: The Case of the South Durban Industrial Basin, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5679-:d:557457
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Dryzek, John S. & Pickering, Jonathan, 2017. "Deliberation as a catalyst for reflexive environmental governance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 353-360.
    3. Risako Ishii & Farhad Hossain & Christopher Rees, 2007. "Participation in Decentralized Local Governance: Two Contrasting Cases from the Philippines," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 359-373, December.
    4. Eric Brousseau & Bernd Siebenhuner & Tom Dedeurwaerdere, 2012. "Reflexive Governance for Global Public Goods," Post-Print hal-01493503, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Healy, Hali, 2023. "Pulp and participation: Assessing the legitimacy of participatory environmental governance in Umkomaas, South Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).

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