Context
Understandings of “governance” may be interpreted as social constructs heavily influenced by the distribution of power and the impediments of context. This raises questions about the extent to which emergent understandings of social priorities and how best to address them are based on impartial considerations of necessity, efficacy and proportionality. Conversely, an important consideration in this discussion is whether impediments, based on power and context, are in fact overstated, with the discretion to enhance public value understated. Governance is in essence a question of institutions – and how to change them to progressively enhance public value. But to what extent do the key actors in society understand the opportunities and limits to socially productive forms institutional change?
Assignment
Provide a critical examination of the idea of power and its relationship to governance.
This review should attempt to address the following.
- First, what role does the concept of power play in the design of governance frameworks?
- Second, how can power be used productively in the design of governance frameworks?
- Third, provide a real-world instance for the unproductive use of power in the design of governance frameworks in the South African context (or a country you are familiar with).
Please note that the above three parts to the question should be examined systematically. Do not make unfounded assertions. Instead, build arguments using source material (principally drawn from the module material) and sound reasoning. Accord equal weight to each of the three parts.