Only food for thought? An Analysis of Governance Frameworks fo (Policy) Learning Transfer and Innovation in Iterreg Projects

Anna Trojer

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Demographic change is a highly relevant topic in today’s political arenas because issues within this context spread across all spheres of life, various policy fields and national borders. One important question is how the challenges of demographic change can be addressed in the multi-level context of today’s European Union. As there are no blue-print solutions, ideally, actors from different levels of governance and countries share their experiences and bestpractices and work together on responsive demographic policies. Within this context, it is crucial to look at the bigger picture and discuss several issues: Why do actors from different nation states work together? What is their rationale for cooperation? How can knowledge exchange and transfer of policies be embedded in the context of these forms of cooperation? A discussion of these topics builds the backbone of this Master thesis. The main research question investigates which patterns of local and/or regional governance enable policy learning, -transfer and innovation in the context of INTERREG projects. Data from interviews with projects partners of an INTERREG project dealing with demographic challenges in the Bodensee area and content analyses of project reports and policy papers reveal that INTERREG projects provide actors with opportunity structures for exchange. However, the patterns of governance which enable this do not only depend on the governance structures and the actors’ predetermined beliefs and ideologies, but also on the dynamic of the group as well as the partners’ willingness and capabilities for exchange and learning.

Abstract:

Demographic change is a highly relevant topic in today’s political arenas because issues within this context spread across all spheres of life, various policy fields and national borders. One important question is how the challenges of demographic change can be addressed in the multi-level context of today’s European Union. As there are no blue-print solutions, ideally, actors from different levels of governance and countries share their experiences and bestpractices and work together on responsive demographic policies. Within this context, it is crucial to look at the bigger picture and discuss several issues: Why do actors from different nation states work together? What is their rationale for cooperation? How can knowledge exchange and transfer of policies be embedded in the context of these forms of cooperation? A discussion of these topics builds the backbone of this Master thesis. The main research question investigates which patterns of local and/or regional governance enable policy learning, -transfer and innovation in the context of INTERREG projects. Data from interviews with projects partners of an INTERREG project dealing with demographic challenges in the Bodensee area and content analyses of project reports and policy papers reveal that INTERREG projects provide actors with opportunity structures for exchange. However, the patterns of governance which enable this do not only depend on the governance structures and the actors’ predetermined beliefs and ideologies, but also on the dynamic of the group as well as the partners’ willingness and capabilities for exchange and learning.

Keywords

INTERREG, policy learning, cross-border, transnational, cooperation, multi-level governance

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 6. 7. 2018

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 6. 7. 2018
• Supervisor: Dr. Ekaterina Rashkova
• Reader: Ph.D. Vratislav Havlík

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
International Territorial Studies / European Governance