Introduction

This volume explores the ways in which civil society and governments employ transformative tactics of direct engagement in coordinating efforts toward the common good. The chapters highlight alternatives that are philosophically and pragmatically different from neoliberal austerity measures, which reduce coproduction to a cost-saving tactic. Instead of simplistic load-shedding and unfunded partnerships, collaborative governance and coproduction increasingly take on characteristics of social movements, where indirect citizen engagement in public policy making and administrative implementation are seen as the collective pursuit of human flourishing and abundance.

Countering the Status Quo

These approaches counter the status quo — both in terms of power dynamics and standard operating procedures. Civil society is increasingly reclaiming its roots in the more informal mechanisms of social movements. As governments reach out to engage these groups, they must develop a new stance toward collaboration — one that sees power as a generative force when shared rather than held through hierarchical or competitive dominance. This book shows how, through this transformation, genuine public value can be produced.