Beyond Government

The PGM revolves around five interdependent and mutually constituting pillars:

(i) Civil society: The PGM implies the creation of an effective civil society space and multiple inclusive platforms where decision-making can take place. Civil society is not an antagonist to the state, but can provide a modality for core democratic dialogue. This project will explore which types of civil society organisations are effective in governance, and modalities for them to claim authority.

(ii) Decentralisation: In the WANA region, which is characterised by tribalism and informal networks, it is imperative to incorporate the local level in governance. The project will identify where decisions are most effectively made and modalities for localised decision-making.

(iii) Bureaucracy: Implementing authorities routinely lack the competence, capacity or will to make institution- building effective. Breaking path dependency and capitalising on the positive side of wasta structures in WANA bureaucracies is key to overcoming these challenges. The PGM will explore modalities to introduce meritocratic processes, not by dismantling wasta structures, but by promoting their accountability, transparency and effectiveness.

(iv) Generating Knowledge: Critical thinking and access to information are prerequisites for polycentric governance. The region suffers, however, from a detachment between policy, programming and research that can be bridged by local think tanks that facilitate opportunities for civil society, local leaders and political stakeholders to engage constructively. The project will assess the impact of knowledge generating institutions and how they could enhance a polycentric governance structures.

(v) Resilience: Polycentric governance is designed to withstand and evolve in crises, by promoting multiple centres of power, decision-making hierarchies and modalities for cooperation and information sharing. The PGM aims to build such capabilities by creating both horizontal and vertical redundancy, and demonstrating how redundancy is more cost-ef cient than optimisation in the long-term.
 

• Desk review, FGDs, informant interviews, and key data collection
• High level roundtables with former poltical leaders
• Workshops to explore polycentric governance modalities
• Develop empirical dataset
• Participation in academic conferences to present and discuss  ndings
• Advocate the PGM to high-level policy circles
• Two-day high level conference for 75 policy leaders, analysts, private sector, academics, civil society representatives and youth