Social Learning: Methods Matter but Facilitation and Supportive Context Are Key—Insights from Water Governance in Sweden

This paper analyses and discusses how and to what extent social learning (SL), as a means to address complex adaptive problems in water governance, can be enabled in local and regional multi-stakeholder collaborations. Using a multi-method, qualitative, collaborative, and self-reflective case study...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water (Basel) 2021, Vol.13 (17), p.2335
Main Authors: Prutzer, Madeleine, Morf, Andrea, Nolbrant, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Active listening
Collaboration
Collaborative governance
Communication
Councils
Decision making
Environmental Sciences
Facilitation
Landowners
Legislation
Miljövetenskap
Natural resource management
Observational learning
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Participation
Participatory meth-ods
Political Science
Power
Reflective
Social discrimination learning
Social learning
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Stakeholders
Statsvetenskap
Sustainable development
Sweden
Trustworthiness
Tvärvetenskapliga studier
Water governance
Water management
Water policy
Water quality
Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap
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Summary:This paper analyses and discusses how and to what extent social learning (SL), as a means to address complex adaptive problems in water governance, can be enabled in local and regional multi-stakeholder collaborations. Using a multi-method, qualitative, collaborative, and self-reflective case study design, the conditions, challenges, and enablers for SL were studied, comparing three complementary cases of voluntary multi-actor platforms (water councils) to improve water quality in West Sweden. These councils were established to foster the implementation of the Water Frame Directive and—on a voluntary basis without a formal decision mandate or responsibility—to implement measures or act. Using participant observation, evaluation workshops, and a survey, the methods employed by the councils, which were founded on trust-based approaches, were assessed based on how they contributed to trust and social learning. Observed outcomes included an increased number of participants, sub-projects, local water groups, and measures. Respondents mentioned better dialogue, higher commitment, and broader knowledge as positive outcomes. Based on this, we conclude that there is a need for neutral spaces for meetings led by process facilitators, enabling cross-sectorial and cross-level exchanges, a process which is not common in Swedish water management.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w13172335