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T u e s d a y , D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 1
PhD position on Multi-actor governance for sustainable
materials management

In the framework of the policy support centre on sustainable materials management (SuMMa) of the
Flemish government that will start in 2012, a PhD position is available on the topic of Multi-actor
governance for sustainable materials management. The PhD researcher will be employed at the
HUBrussel and jointly supervised with Wageningen University. The promoter of the PhD research will
be Prof. Dr. ir. Katrien Termeer (Wageningen University) and co-promoters will be Marc
Craps (HUBrussel) and myself.

For more information or to apply, please
contact Marc Craps or Art Dewulf.

Description of the project

The governance challenges for sustainable materials management are manifold. Entire production and
consumptions systems need to be innovated to be able to close the materials circle, requiring
transformations from linear supply chains to production-consumption-production cycles. Even without
considering the challenges of redesigning material flows on a global level, these transformations
present difficult exercises in steering society in a more sustainable direction. Multi-actor governance,
implying cooperation between a wide range of public and private actors, is required to make this
happen. Working across the boundaries of organizations will be necessary, between government
organizations, designers, industries, retailers, NGOs, consumers, research and education etc. Closing
materials cycles creates new interdependencies between government and businesses (e.g. coordinating
innovations in materials processing with regulations on production systems and waste treatment), and
between producers and consumers (e.g. producers start to depend on consumers for their supply of
reusable materials).
Multi-actor governance implies a broad innovation in the public policy field. Focusing on policy
networks and policy communities is both more encompassing and discriminating. It involves attention
to informal, non-governmental as well as formal, governmental mechanisms, and further
differentiation of actors and relationships within the government as well as in society. In any policy
domain, a variety of actors take initiatives to achieve their objectives and develop relationships to
influence the outcomes. This multi-actor process shapes societal coordination. The patterns that
emerge do not rest solely on government authority, but on a multiplicity of in(ter)dependent actors,
specific to the policy arena. As such, the networks that develop in this process are at least to large
extent self-organizing. They function as informal social systems, rather than bureaucratic structures,
based on mutual, open-ended commitment, rather than formal contracts.
This research project involves answering fundamental questions, like how can existing concepts and
theoretical frameworks on multi-actor collaboration be further developed to make them relevant and
applicable for the complex sustainability challenges of materials management? It also involves applied
research questions related to the concrete Flemish cases and practices at the core of this research
proposal.

Requirements

We are looking for a social scientist with a background in public administration, policy sciences,
organization sciences, or communication sciences and a keen interest in multi-actor governance and
interaction processes in complex sustainability issues. Academic writing skills are important, because
the dissertation will be composed of journal articles in international peer reviewed journals. Fluency in
Dutch and English and good communication skills are required to work with stakeholders in cases of
sustainable materials management. Experience with empirical research projects, interdisciplinary
research, group process facilitation and both qualitative and quantitative research methods will be
considered as an advantage.

Posted by Art Dewulf at 3:54 PM
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Research Interests
Multi-actor collaboration processes
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