The New Geo-Governance: A Baroque Approach

Introduction: Geo-Governance: Some Scaffolding

Introduction Geo-governance: Some Scaffolding "While the incalculable strings gather in what's hers to gather in" Two lines from George Johnston's poem Elaine in a bikini Many observers have announced the demise of the Westphalian nation state as the dominant system of geo-governance. Supposedly, the erosion of this dominantjurisdiction is ascribable to a nexus of forces: the pressure emanating from the ever expanding expectations of a more globally-focused citizenry, the expansion and greater complexity of the domains to be governed, nation states' weaker capacity to govern in the face of the greater mobility of labour, capital, etc. The territorial nation state has become, if one accepts this scenario, less congruent with contemporaryrealities, and less capable ofproviding an effective governance regime. In the existing process of governance, much remains that is mediated by the national state context, and by nation-state regimes (McCallum 1995; Nitsch 2000), but there is no denying that the erosion of its dominion forges on. While the governance capabilities are not necessarily as tightly packaged in national territorial niches as they were in earlier times, the territorial nation still plays the role of an echo box, through which much must be arbitrated (Paquet 2000b). However, in recent decades, both external forces and internal tensions have fundamentally transformed the innards of geo-governance systems. New forms of distributed governance arrangements have emerged, based on a more diffused pattern of power, and on a new valence for the various meso-systems (Storper 1996; Elkins 1995). 1 The New Gee-Governance This new pattern of geo-governance is still without a formal name. Following Walter TruettAnderson, we have labelled it "ecologies of governance" (Anderson 2001). Some still insist on "national packaging" as a matter of convenience. But the new realities bear little resemblance to the old Westphalian construct. This new pattern has vested infra-national communities with new powers, has built on new principles of cooperation/competition within and across national boundaries, and has been rooted in new capabilities that are much less state-centred (Paquet 1999b). The new dynamic also involves more complex mixes of intertwined relations, networks, and regimes, and governance capabilities that are more diverse and seemingly more disconnected than was the case in the old nation-statecentred governance world. These new complexities do not change the fact that geographical space still remains a fundamental element ofthe present governance regime, but its relative importance has diminished. In this introductory chapter, I sketch a very simple framework based on social learning as the most useful lens through which one can examine the current challenges. Governance and the dispersive revolution As technological change, economic growth, and socio-cultural effervescence increased, a dispersive revolution led organizations to adapt to the new circumstances by various processes of disintegration, and quasi-reintegration in more diffuse patterns. The new circumstances created the need for a heightened capacity for speed, flexibility, and innovation, based on new forms of integration and coordination, and embodying not only new structures and tools, but a whole new way of thinking. Private, public, and social concerns ceased to be drivers of people, and had to become "drivers of learning" (Wriston 1992:119). They had to become learning organizations, based on new forms of alliances and partnerships rooted in more horizontal relationships and moral contracts. While the dispersive forces have been played out in a number of dimensions (technical, social, etc.) they havebeen particularly evident in geographical space. Power, resources, and information have become dispersed over many sites, and this has substantially increased the difficulties of geo-governance. This dispersive revolution crystallized into newnetwork business organizations, into more subsidiarity-focused governments, and into increasingly virtual, elective, and malleable communities. Major governance challenges ensued: acquiring speed, flexibility, and innovativeness, while maintaining the necessary coordination, coherence, and integrity. 2 Introduction These forces have been at work for some time, but their impact has been considerably heightened by the digital revolution that has materialized over the last while. Inter-networked technologies have transformed all levels of governance. As technology has made it possible, businesses, governments, and communities have been confronted with a greater demand for participation. Citizens have also become more active partners in the governance process. This has redefined the public space and triggered the emergence of distributed governance regimes based on awider variety ofmore fluid and always evolving groups of stakeholders (Tapscottt and Agnew 1999). A primer on geo-governance By geo-governance, we refer...