Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social network position and causes of fatigue within participatory water governance networks

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

Resolving environmental and social challenges like water sustainability requires participatory governance. This argument has been posed by scientists whose research suggests that public participation can both secure democracy and contribute to more sustainable use, allocation, and distribution of water. Participatory forums—spaces where state- and non-state actors come together to discuss public issues—are powerful governance platforms for negotiating societal change and can support positive environmental policy outcomes. Bureaucrats are key actors in participatory forums, and their unique position at the intersection of government and civil society means that their work often involves translating the ideas of others into policy. However, when governments decide to involve non-governmental actors in public decision-making, new and unexpected challenges emerge that can undermine the intended goals of public participation. This doctoral dissertation project uses tools for social network analysis and models of organizational fatigue to advance the theory and practice of participatory modes of natural resources governance by developing a better understanding of why and how frontline water managers—natural resource bureaucrats who make decisions about water— experience and navigate participation fatigue, intensified frustration and overwhelm that sometimes accompanies participatory water governance. The findings of this project will be disseminated to research participants and diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in designing and implementing participatory water governance. The overarching goal of this project is to understand how bureaucrats understand participation fatigue within the context of participatory water governance (PWG) and why they experience it the way that do using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies that progresses from an exploratory (Phase I) to a confirmatory (Phase II) phase of data collection and analysis. These methods include active participant observation, semi-structured interviews, social network analysis and cultural consensus analysis. Because participation is a key challenge that government actors face when implementing participatory water management, developing a more formative understanding of this phenomenon can inform the design of participatory governance spaces that mitigate fatigue and lead to better water policy outcomes. The findings of this work hold global significance as participatory water governance models become an increasingly popular strategy among nations interested in addressing emerging environmental challenges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.