Institutionalising Institution Research: Form follows function

1
Institutionalising Institution Research Form
follows function

• Frank Biermann
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

2
At the end of the conference
Is there a (research) life after IDGEC?
IDGEC terminates today
Long live (the) IDGEC (community)
3

• Why continue IDGEC

4
1. Because the problems are not solved
5
2. Because not all research questions are
resolved ...
6
3. Because its fun...
7
One Follow-up to Bali
2007 Amsterdam Conference, May 2007
Earth System Governance Theories and
Strategies for Sustainability
8

• Same, same
• ...but different

9
Same, Same, but Different
10
Possible New Themes
7 As

• Architecture
• Adaptiveness
• Agency beyond the state
• Accountability
• Allocation
• (Analysis and Assessment)

11
Same, Same, but Different

• Architecture
• Institutional Design, Performance and Causality
• Interplay, Fit, and Scale
• Trade and Environment
• Adaptiveness
• Part of IDGEC Extended Framework (with
  vulnerability and resilience)
• Agency beyond the State
• IDGEC beyond the state Design, Performance and
  Causality Interplay, Fit, and Scale
• Accountability
• Performance and Design of Institutions
• Allocation
• Distributive effects of institutions Design and
  Performance

12
Collaborative Autonomy within ESSP

• We should maintain - and expand - our
  collaboration with the natural science
  programmes, such as in joint ESSP projects.
• But too much networking might turn into
  no-working.
• We should
• Continue our autonomous research programmes
• Maintain methodological honesty
• But also develop more curiosity in experimenting
  with integrated research

13
Collaborative Autonomy within IHDP

• Governance and institutions is a common and
  crosscutting theme in all IHDP projects.
• Yet, there is a need for a continued autonomous
  research programme on institutions and governance
  
• The governance community is not a mere service
  provider.
• We need to develop institutional mechanisms to
  link a governance research programme with other
  IHDP projects.

14
Quality

• The high quality of institutional research needs
  to be maintained through institutionalised
  quality control.
• To improve knowledge (of course), but also
• To maintain respect from other ESSP communities
• To maintain and increase respect from the
  disciplines
• To remain attractive for younger and older
  scholars and for the funding agencies.

15
Example 2007 Amsterdam Conf. Peer Review

• International Review Panel of about 70 reviewers
• Anonymous peer review (double blind) of all
  abstracts on random basis
• At least five reviewers per abstract
• Grading on a 1-5 scale
• Aggregate grades for all abstracts
• Ranking of all 370 abstracts on a 1-5 scale
• Rejection of 52 of all abstracts.
• Travel stipends on merit basis.

16
In conclusion ..
There is a (research) life after IDGEC
But it depends on you
And your ideas.
17
L. P. Yogi Berra about IDGEC - II

• You have to give 100 percent in the first half
  of the game. If that isn't enough, in the second
  half, you have to give what is left.

The first 90 of any trip takes 90 of the time,
and the last 10 takes the other 90.
It ain't over till it's over.