Search Results (68)

This study explores the challenges and opportunities for embedding the Natural Capital Approach (NCA) in policy processes, especially in the framing of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), which is England’s strategic framework for improving the natural environment, including cleaner air and water, healthy soil, thriving wildlife and climate-adapted landscapes. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with policymakers working in Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) organisations to investigate their views on the barriers and enablers to the adoption of the NCA. It has been widely recognised that the NCA provides unifying concepts that are able to connect economists and ecologists, and it can help to embed nature across government departments and supports to make the business case for nature improvement. On the other hand, there are perceived challenges in mainstreaming the NCA in environmental policy processes. There is some lack of agreement on the usefulness of the approach, problems with the oversuse of monetary valuation in policy appraisal, isolation of work, policy processes and government departments and difficulties in the communication of the benefits of the NCA. Recommendations to overcome the barriers include cross-departmental work placements of natural capital scientists, establishing cross-agency natural capital working goups to work on the use of the NCA to frame environment improvement policies, and prioritising the adoption of deliberative approaches to better understand local values on nature that are difficult or even impossible to monetise. Full article

This article argues that journalism plays a structurally significant role in accountability within contemporary democratic governance and therefore warrants constitutional protection beyond traditional press-freedom guarantees. It develops the concept of the Quarta Politica as a constitutional order composed of four branches of democratic governance: legislative, executive, judicial, and ombudsman power. Within this framework, the Ombudsman Council constitutes the Fourth Branch of Power and safeguards the informational, participatory, deliberative, and corrective conditions necessary for democratic legitimacy. The article conceptualizes journalism not as a privileged profession or sovereign authority but as part of the informational infrastructure through which democratic systems monitor and contest the exercise of power. Particular attention is given to a Chamber for the Protection of Journalistic Independence within the Ombudsman Council, designed to protect editorial independence, media pluralism, and informational accountability. The analysis further examines how digital transformation, platform dominance, algorithmic amplification, ownership concentration, and fragmented communication environments undermine the institutional conditions necessary for independent journalism. Situating the framework within theories of horizontal accountability, monitory democracy, and digital constitutionalism, the article concludes that safeguarding the informational foundations of democratic accountability has become a central constitutional challenge of contemporary governance. Full article

The European Union’s Farm-to-Fork (F2F) Strategy sets an ambitious agenda for a socio-ecological transition, positioning agriculture as a critical sector for achieving sustainable food systems. However, its implementation faces significant systemic barriers that hinder its transformative potential. This paper applies a diagnostic framework, derived from the H2020-funded PHOENIX project, that identifies six key challenges to democratic innovations in environmental governance: prolonged timeframes for tangible results, the complexity of environmental issues, the need for transcalar cooperation, the imperative to foster behavioural change, limited deliberative dialogue, and the need to build mutual trust. Through a review of public policies and scholarly literature, this analysis evaluates how these challenges manifest within the F2F Strategy, impacting farmers and the broader agri-food system. The findings demonstrate that barriers to F2F implementation are not solely technical or economic but are deeply linked to governance fragmentation, uneven knowledge flows, and deficits in trust relations. Crucially, the study reveals that Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) and associated Education and Training (ET) consistently emerge as pivotal enabling mechanisms to mitigate these constraints. The research generates actionable recommendations to reinforce F2F by redefining the roles of innovation, education, and multi-level collaboration in building resilient and sustainable EU agri-food systems. Full article

This study explores the potential of deliberative and polycentric governance models to address the complex challenges of the energy transition trilemma, balancing energy security, environmental sustainability, and energy equity. The article aims to develop an integrated deliberative–polycentric framework for managing the energy transition trilemma and to illustrate its implementation relevance through an applied example of heat pump deployment. The analysis primarily draws on evidence and examples from Europe and the United States, reflecting the regions most frequently discussed in the reviewed literature and policy materials. Drawing on an extensive literature review and desk-based analysis, the research adopts a non-empirical, theory-building approach grounded in interpretive policy analysis. The study synthesizes insights from scholarly works and policy documents to construct an integrated analytical framework. It argues that hybrid governance, merging the inclusivity and transparency of deliberative democracy with the flexibility and redundancy of polycentric systems—can enhance legitimacy, adaptability, and effectiveness in energy policymaking. Through thematic synthesis, key governance principles are identified, including multilevel coordination, stakeholder participation, transparency, and justice. The findings highlight that the synergy between deliberation and polycentricity offers a promising path toward more resilient, participatory, and just energy systems, while acknowledging the implementation challenges of such models. Full article

Theological engagement with artificial intelligence has largely focused on applied ethics, addressing bias, governance, and labor displacement. While indispensable, this framing often presumes that algorithmic systems operate as external instruments acting upon already constituted subjects. This article argues that contemporary predictive architectures intervene at a deeper anthropological level by structuring attention, expectation, and habituation prior to deliberative judgment. It introduces the concept of ordo extractionis to designate a technologically mediated regime of formation characterized by behavioral trace extraction, probabilistic modeling, and recursive projection of statistically inferred continuity. Drawing on Augustine’s account of ordered love and temporality and Aquinas’s doctrine of habitus and the invisible mission of the Spirit, the article distinguishes algorithmic projection from sanctification as divergent pedagogies of temporal formation. Predictive systems stabilize continuity by extrapolating from measurable past behavior; sanctification reorders desire teleologically toward a final end not deducible from prior pattern and grounded in non-competitive divine causality. Algorithmic mediation is therefore interpreted pedagogically rather than metaphysically: it does not rival divine agency but participates creaturely in shaping the ecology within which habituation unfolds. Engagement with contemporary AI research on recommender systems, reinforcement learning, and generative models situates the argument within technological realism and resists determinism. The digital twin is analyzed as a probabilistic representation that acquires institutional authority when operationalized in ranking, profiling, and evaluative systems, without constituting a metaphysical competitor to the imago Dei. In response to anticipatory closure, Eucharistic anamnesis and epiclesis are developed as practices that re-situate memory and expectation within eschatological promise. The article concludes that the central theological question posed by AI is not whether machines can think, but how formative sovereignty over desire is exercised within technologically mediated modernity. Full article

The objective of this article is to examine how alternative digital platforms can be designed and governed as public-interest infrastructures capable of supporting democratic deliberation in the contemporary digital public sphere. Drawing on deliberative democratic theory, the article develops a normative framework for evaluating participatory digital infrastructures and applies it to a qualitative, theory-driven case study of Decidim, an open-source participatory platform originally developed by the Barcelona City Council. Methodologically, the study combines normative analysis with qualitative documentary analysis of official platform documentation, peer-reviewed academic literature, and the institutional and technical features of the platform. The analysis shows that Decidim operationalises key deliberative principles—such as inclusion, publicity, reason-giving, transparency, traceability, and participatory governance—through its institutional design, governance model, and deliberative affordances. The findings demonstrate that algorithmic systems and digital infrastructures are not inherently incompatible with democratic values, but can be intentionally engineered to support public deliberation and democratic will-formation. The article concludes that the reconstruction of participatory digital infrastructures as public goods constitutes a democratic imperative, requiring sustained institutional commitment, political will, and a reconceptualisation of platform design as a domain of democratic governance. Full article

University–employer alliances have expanded as a strategy to foster innovation, employability, and knowledge transfer; however, their growth often results in instrumental arrangements oriented toward short-term metrics (agreements, hours, deliverables) that weaken curricular transformation and Social Responsibility. This article proposes a governance architecture to design and audit sustainable Collaborative Education, understood as a technologically mediated multi-actor network organized by a shared principle of Social Responsibility. The method operates in two moves: (i) a conceptual ordering that uses the substance–accidents distinction and a formative telos to subordinate organizational and technological means to the educational purpose; and (ii) the translation of concepts into decision domains (who decides, with what evidence, under what risks, and with what safeguards), positioning Technological Mediation as governance infrastructure rather than a neutral support. The proposal delivers three managerial outputs: (a) a hierarchy of seven support entities (metaphysical question, Social Responsibility, projects and strategies, institutional management, institutional development, stakeholders, and benefits); (b) governance principles (primacy of purpose, multi-actor accountability, justifiable distribution of benefits and risks, and deliberative traceability); and (c) a compact matrix and checklist applicable through document auditing and platform design review, without requiring field data collection. Taken together, the framework shows how employer-side corporate governance can align incentives, rules of evidence, and data use to enable co-responsibility and avoid capture, strengthening the sustainability of collaboration over time across organizational contexts. Full article

This paper examines how young adults integrate generative artificial intelligence chatbots into everyday life and the implications of these engagements for the constitution of selfhood. Whilst existing research on AI-mediated subjectivity has predominantly employed identity frameworks centered on social positioning and role enactment, this study foregrounds selfhood—understood as the organization of subjective experience through narrative coherence, interpretive authority, and practices of self-governance. Drawing upon Paul Ricœur’s theory of narrative self and Michel Foucault’s concept of technologies of the self, the analysis proceeds through in-depth qualitative interviews with sixteen young adults in Norway to investigate how algorithmic systems participate in autobiographical reasoning and self-formative practices. The findings reveal four dialectical tensions structuring participants’ engagements with ChatGPT: between instrumental efficiency and existential unease; between algorithmic scaffolding and relational displacement; between narrative depth and epistemic superficiality; and between agency and deliberative outsourcing. The analysis demonstrates that AI-mediated practices extend beyond instrumental utility to reconfigure fundamental dimensions of subjectivity, raising questions about interpretive authority, narrative authorship, and the conditions under which selfhood is negotiated in algorithmic environments. These findings contribute to debates on digital subjectivity, algorithmic governance, and the societal implications of AI systems that increasingly function as interlocutors in meaning-making processes. Full article

The concept of accountability is central to understanding how sustainable corporate governance (SCG) structures shape organizational behavior, legitimacy, and firm performance in the pursuit of sustainability goals. While widely invoked, accountability is often treated inconsistently across governance contexts—oscillating between technical compliance and ethical legitimacy. This paper provides a structured conceptual review of how accountability is framed and operationalized within sustainability governance, with a specific focus on its implications for sustainable performance, corporate sustainability strategies, and governance effectiveness. Based on a qualitative analysis of thirteen peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2025, the study identifies three dominant conceptual clusters: compliance-oriented, legitimacy-oriented, and hybrid approaches. Each cluster reflects different accountability logics and governance mechanisms—ranging from ESG metrics and sustainability reporting frameworks to participatory forums and stakeholder engagement processes that support sustainable development. The article synthesizes theoretical contributions from institutional theory, stakeholder theory, and deliberative democracy to explore how accountability serves as a bridge between formal governance mechanisms and legitimacy claims. A conceptual framework is proposed to illustrate the tensions and complementarities between compliance-driven and legitimacy-driven governance models in sustainability contexts. By deepening the theoretical understanding of accountability in corporate sustainability, this review contributes to the literature on ESG governance, social and environmental reporting, and the legitimacy–performance nexus in corporate settings. The findings offer a foundation for advancing more inclusive, transparent, and sustainability-oriented corporate governance practices in response to global sustainability challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

Fuel price increases have long been a contentious issue in Indonesia, sparking intense public and political debates. This study examines how digital media, particularly Kompas.com and Tempo.co, shape public discourse on fuel price hikes through mediatization. Using discourse network analysis, this study compares the political narratives surrounding fuel price increases during the administrations of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2013) and Joko Widodo (2022). The findings reveal a shift in dominant discourse—opposition to price hikes was prominent in both periods, with government authority and economic justification emphasized in 2013, whereas concerns over rising living costs and social unrest dominated in 2022. This study highlights how mediatization has transformed policymaking from deliberative discussions into fragmented media battles, where digital platforms amplify competing narratives rather than facilitating consensus. Kompas.com predominantly featured counter-discourses, while Tempo.co exhibited stronger pro-government narratives in 2013. This study suggests that while digital media plays a crucial role in shaping policy perceptions, it does not necessarily translate into policy influence. It contributes to the broader understanding of the media’s role in policy debates. It underscores the need for more strategic government communication to manage public expectations and mitigate political unrest surrounding fuel price adjustments. Full article

The integration of renewable energy into power grids is imperative for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating reliance on depleting fossil fuels. In this paper, we develop symmetric and asymmetric evolutionary game-theoretic models to analyze how user–grid cooperation in peak shaving can be enhanced by incorporating whole-process democracy (deliberative governance) into decision-making. Our framework captures excess returns, cooperation-driven profits, energy pricing, participation costs, and benefit-sharing coefficients to identify equilibrium conditions under varied subsidy, cost, and market scenarios. Furthermore, this study integrates the theory, path, and mechanism of deliberative procedures under the perspective of whole-process democracy, exploring how inclusive and participatory decision-making processes can enhance cooperation in renewable energy systems. We simulate seven scenarios that systematically adjust subsidy rates, cost–benefit structures, dynamic pricing, and renewable-versus-conventional competitiveness, revealing that robust cooperation emerges only under well-aligned incentives, equitable profit sharing, and targeted financial policies. These scenarios systematically vary these key parameters to assess the robustness of cooperative equilibria under diverse economic and policy conditions. Our findings indicate that policy efficacy hinges on deliberative stakeholder engagement, fair profit allocation, and adaptive subsidy mechanisms. These results furnish actionable guidelines for regulators and grid operators to foster sustainable, low-carbon energy systems and inform future research on demand response and multi-source integration. Full article

Deliberative approaches to governance systems analysis and improvement are rare. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) provides the context to describe an innovative approach that combines reflexive and interactive engagement processes to (a) develop and design a framework to assess the GBR’s complex governance system health; and (b) undertake a benchmark assessment of governance system health. We drew upon appreciative inquiry and used multiple lines of evidence, including an extensive literature review, governance system mapping, focus group discussions and personal interviews. Together, these approaches allowed us to effectively engage key actors in value judgements about twenty key characteristic attributes of the governance system. These attributes were organised into four clusters which enabled us to broadly describe and benchmark the system. These included the following: (i) system coherence; (ii) connectivity and capacity; (iii) knowledge application; (iv) operational aspects of governance. This process facilitated deliberative discussion and consensus-building around attribute health and priorities for transformative action. This was achieved through the inclusion of diverse perspectives from across the governance system, analysis of rich datasets, and the provision of guidance from the project’s Steering Committee and Technical Working Group. Our inclusive, collaborative and deliberative approach, its analytical depth, and the framework’s repeatability enable continuous monitoring and adaptive improvement of the GBR governance system and can be readily applied to complex governance systems elsewhere. Full article

Climate adaptation in urban environments is often constrained by rigid institutional rules and fragmented governance, which limit inclusive and context-specific planning of public spaces such as schoolyards. This study addresses this challenge by examining how collaborative planning can transform schoolyards, from asphalt-dominated, monofunctional spaces into green, climate-resilient community assets. The research employed the Institutional Analysis and Development framework within a qualitative case study design. Two public schools in the San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighbourhood of Madrid served as case studies, with data collected through document analysis, participant observation, and interviews with municipal officials, urban planners, educators, and community members. Results indicate that the collaborative planning process reshaped rules in use, expanded the network of actors, and transformed decision-making processes. Existing rules were flexibly reinterpreted to allow new uses of space. Children, teachers, and residents became co-producers of the public space, expanding the governance network, where new deliberative practices emerged that improved coordination across people and organisations. These institutional changes occurred without formal regulatory reform, but with the reinterpretation of the game’s rules by each organisation. Thus, schoolyards can serve as laboratories for institutional innovation and participatory climate adaptation, demonstrating how urban experiments have the potential to catalyse not only physical transformations but also transformations in urban management. Full article

The time is nigh to organize the physical landscapes of the United States under a unified land use policy and planning framework. As human populations have steadily grown, so has the urgency for agencies to plan for land uses at broader scales to overcome continued jurisdictional fragmentation and achieve sustainable and environmentally just landscapes. This paper introduces a vision, conceptual approach, and implementation strategy that applies ecoregions and proposes a unified framework for land use planning and regulation in the United States. The Sustainable Ecoregion Program (SEP) is designed to enable local landowners; public stakeholders; other land users; and state, regional, tribal, and national natural resource professionals to set and achieve future desired conditions for sustainable land uses across landscapes. The objective is to outline a comprehensive and sustainably just solution to the recurring problem of managing conflicting land uses in the face of continued degradation and multiple land tenure systems. The SEP will determine how much of the physical landscape will go to developed, agricultural, and natural landcover types. The framework includes recognition of level III ecoregions as primary boundaries, proposed secondary boundaries and shapes to enhance connectivity and movement across landscapes, a proposed structure for the environmental governance and co-management of landscapes, and definitions of physical landscape types. The benefits and challenges of the SEP are discussed. The outcomes of the SEP include ecological integrity, sustainable land use management, deliberative democracy, just sustainability, and improved quality of life for residents of the United States. Full article

This literature review critically examines the potential of collective intelligence (CI) to enhance theories of deliberative democracy and participatory governance through academic discourse. We employed PRISMA guidelines for systematic article selection, complemented by a narrative approach for in-depth thematic analysis and supplemented by quantitative methodologies such as Sankey diagrams and keyness analysis. Reviewing 61 scholarly articles focusing on CI within the public sector, this study identifies theoretical insights that could significantly impact the field of democratic innovations and participatory governance. Our analysis reveals that CI methodologies can make governance more inclusive and dynamic by integrating advanced digital tools that foster broader and more effective citizen participation. We conclude that integrating CI with deliberative democracy and participatory governance theories holds substantial promise for developing more responsive and adaptive governance models. Future research should focus on measuring deliberative quality in real time, deploying CI tools to empower underrepresented groups and address specific governance challenges, and examining CI’s ethical and social implications, especially concerning privacy, security, and power dynamics in technology-driven public decision-making. Full article