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Research dossier 'Governance and Society' published

The public are experiencing the effects of international policy more directly and the contacts between citizens and civil servants are also changing. Read about the impact of these developments in the new research dossier on 'Governance and Society'.

Governance is a complex puzzle of interactions between organisations, people and divergent interests, a puzzle that has become more complex in recent years. Academic research in this field furthers our knowledge of the role of public administrators, different organisational structures, the people who work at such organisations and how these organisations implement policy. Armed with this knowledge, authorities are better to do their work and to respond to continuous changes in society. As a result, we, the public, can live in a society that represents our norms and values.

The dossier on ‘Governance and Society’ shows how the research by Leiden scientists plays a role in shaping this society.

Four levels

Leiden researchers look at four interrelated ‘levels’ of governance:  local, national, EU and global. Researchers from Public Administration, for example, look at national level, examining the changing role of municipalities and new forms of leadership.  At international level, EU countries have to work closely together to resolve such problems as the migrant crisis. This calls for major changes in the way that states formulate and implement policy. Leiden researchers (from public administration and political sciences) analyse these changes and advise policymakers on best practices. They also look at situations elsewhere in the world and try to  help the local population gain a clearer understanding of complex national situations.  

Lobbying and influencing

Besides research at these four levels, Leiden experts also study the mechanisms of lobbying and influencing political parties. How do parties (such as businesses, NGOs or groups of citizens) try to influence politicians and their policies? If we understand these processes better, we will have a clearer idea of how we can increase support for important issues or why it is that some interests continue to be over-represented.

Researchers from different disciplines at Leiden University work together to create a safe, healthy, sustainable and just world. You can read more about their work in our research dossiers. The Governance and Society dossier is one of these. Click on the link in the right-hand column for an overview of all our research dossiers.

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