Post on 16-May-2023
Good Governance in Norway:
A View from the Grassroots
Harald Koht
Oslo and Akershus University College
Professor, PhD
Norwegian Neighborhood Federation
Chairman 1997-1999 and 2010
Training session for good governance monitors
Rozmarin Hotel, Predeal, Romania
28 August 2015
28.08.2015
From my parents:
Romanian heirlooms 1938-39
Good Governance in Norway 28.08.2015
Haystack near Băile Tușnad Plate by Bucarest potter
Governance – an academic definition
—The interplay between government and
society, specifically civil society
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Good governance:
A prescriptive or ideal definition
Good, effective public governance helps to strengthen
democracy and human rights, promote economic
prosperity and social cohesion, reduce poverty,
enhance environmental protection and the sustainable
use of natural resources, and deepen confidence in
government and public administration.
OECD 2008
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Governance and civil society
The idea of “Good Governance” provides for the
opening of a broader debate about the role of
voluntary organizations in politics, including the rise of
networks that allow for decision-making by negotiation.
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Two types of people’s organizations 1
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• Membership – Active membership with its
own practical and social
activities
– Fixed annual dues
– Elected leadership
– Accountability to general
meetings of members
Two types of people’s organizations 2
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
• Campaign organizations – Short term action groups
– Foundations
– Self-recruited leadership and no fixed membership
– Voluntary contributions
Norwegian neighbourhood clubs - 1
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• Traditional membership
organizations
• Democratic, elected
leadership
• Based on territorial
principles: Anyone living
within a defined area can
become a member
• No national authority that
defines goals and duties
Norwegian neighbourhood clubs - 2
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
• Early founding years: 1870-1880s
• Rapid growth: From 4 000 (1982) to 8 000 (2012)
• Strong in suburban and recently urbanized areas with owner-occupied housing
• Includes both men and women
• A huge variety of activities
Typical membership activities
Voluntary work Percentages
Outdoors maintenance and tidying 87
Playgrounds 64
Commons care 24
Street lights 23
Ball parks (handball etc.) 15
Social events
Christmas celebration 55
Midsummer eve, June 23 47
Community party 45
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
What’s the point of raking leaves?
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Here were citizens reaffirming a small measure of control of their shared physical surroundings, and demonstrating a sense of community, which is part of what cities are about – or should be.
– Witold Rybczynski City Life: Urban Expectations in
a New World , New York 1995
Cooperation with the municipality:
one-way or two-way partnerships?
Area of cooperation Relationship Percentages
Playgrounds Cooperation 63
Outdoor tidying and cleaning Cooperation 60
Traffic safety Lobbying 58
Planning Deliberation 29
Cultural activities Coproduction 23
Community meeting house Subsidies 15
Activities for the elderly Cooperation, subsidies 8
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Source: Koht 2013
Case: New housing near metro, railway, and
major 4-lane highway
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Actions taken by the local neighborhood association:
— Respond to published planning application by written demands for lower building heights and measures to reduce risk of noise pollution.
— Meet with responsible elected official at highest level in city government.
— Form local alliances
— Participate at open meetings.
— Participate in noise level measurements.
— Results: Reduced building heights; noise level controls.
Participation in local planning activities
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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Traffic plans and traffic safety
Zoning and building plans
Road plans
City planning
Construction
Transportation plans
Pollution issues
2011 2007
Source: Koht 2013
How to communicate – part 1
Traditional Percentages
Written hearings 62
Oral hearings (meetings) 43
Deputations 4
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Source: Koht 2013
How to communicate – part 2
Modern – deliberate Percentages
”The open half hour” 12
Local committees 11
Conferences 9
Committee membership 8
Electronic networks 7
User committees 4
Interviews 4
Participation in budgeting 2
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Source: Koht 2013
Satisfaction with partnership with local
government: not an ideal situation
1991 2013
Very high 17 13
Satisfactory 61 48
Poor 15 27
Non-existent 4 12
No answer 3 0
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Source: Koht 2013
Challenges for activists
— Know the steps in decision-making: Always too late?
— Gain transparency
— Speak the language of decision makers
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What can be done by citizens to win
influence?
— Initiate co-production
— Seek publicity
— Secure timeliness
— Persist
— Accept incrementalism: One small step at a time
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The future
The future of the cities, whatever form it takes, will
depend on the goodwill of its citizens for its well-being.
— Witold Rybczynski
City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World
New York 1995
Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015
Questions for discussion
— What are the qualities required for cooperation between civil society and government? Discuss in relation to trust, openness, timeliness, decision-making process, and other requirements that you think are important.
— What would be effective meeting places for government officials and civil society people for discussing issues of common concern? What should be the role of one-way communication? What should be the role of multi-way communication?
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References
— Harald Koht. 2013. Dugnadsånd og samstyring i
lokalsamfunnet [Community volunteering and
governance]. Oslo: HiOA Report 2013: 2
— Witold Rybczynski. 1995.: City Life: Urban
Expectations in a New World, Scribner: New York
1995
— Photos by Paul Koht (1938) and Harald Koht (2014-
15)
Presentasjonens tittel 05.10.2015