Empowerment of citizens, digitalisation, globalisation and other developments characteristic of our contemporary society are putting classic forms of organisation, governance, legislation, enforcement and justice under pressure. This manifests itself both in governments and large non-profit organisations. What consequences do these changes have for the functioning of the essential components of democracy and the rule of law, including the electoral system and the primacy of the representation of the people? What alternative institutions for democracy and rule of law can be considered, and how do they compare with the current set-up of public administration? Innovative forms of regulation (nudging, citizen participation, norms built into technology) sometimes appear to be able to provide more effective incentives and guidance. How can new opportunities be used to promote the effectiveness, legitimacy and social acceptance of legal rules, legislation, justice and enforcement?
In addition, our society in recent years shows a strong growth of cooperative initiatives, which address needs that central government seems less able to facilitate. Which factors matter most for success and failure? What legal frameworks are appropriate? These changes are also at play in large non-profit organisations such as schools, hospitals, cooperatives and numerous associations. How can these organisations assume their social responsibility and organise matching social accountability while maintaining their private character?
Connecting character
This question connects internationalisation, computerisation, informalisation, individualisation and intensification with the functioning of public and semi-public institutions. The question plays out at global, national and local levels. This calls for research to get a good picture of these developments. What is the interaction between technical, social, economic and institutional factors behind these developments? The question not only lends itself to descriptive and analytical research, but also includes questions on the appreciation of these social changes. Does this move us towards a better society or not? For governments and large institutions, there is also the practical question of how to respond to these changes. New knowledge can provide practical support to institutions struggling with these change processes. The question lends itself ideally to transdisciplinary research in which different disciplines, such as political science, public administration, law, sociology, history, organisational studies and ethics, collaborate with extra-scientific fields. Here, action research and social change go hand in hand.
