Internet Governance. Policy Networks as a Model for Governance of the Technical Environment

The regulatory powers of states and international organizations are challenged by the dynamics of globalization and privatization. As a consequence formal government, the traditional hierarchical form of exerting regulatory powers, is extended with and in some cases even replaced by more heterarchical forms of governance. The Internet is a powerful catalyst for these dynamics. Technical characteristics of the Internet give rise to processes of user empowerment and government disempowerment. These processes have caused a shift in the balance of powers concerning political decision making about the technical environment. Policy networks of experts and stakeholder representatives are gaining influence in the regular political decision making processes of states and international organizations concerned with the technical environment. In the European Union a first case at hand will be the political decision making around downloading of digital information (the ACTA negotiations and the translations of the negotiation results into European regulations).

The working paper 'Internet Governance. Policy Networks as a Model for Governance of the Technical Environment' can be found here.