Multi-level governance and subnational research: Similarities, differences, and knowledge accumulation in the study of territorial politics

• Published in: Regional & federal studies Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 393 - 411
• Main Authors: Giraudy, Agustina, Niedzwiecki, Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 27-05-2022
• Subjects: comparative politics; Latin America; Multilevel governance; regional authority index; subnational research
• ISSN: 1359-7566; 1743-9434
• DOI: 10.1080/13597566.2021.1941900

The Subnational Research (SNR) and Multilevel Governance (MLG) research programs have tackled some of the crucial questions in comparative politics. Despite their shared principle that actors and institutions located at one territorial level are shaped by and shape other levels of government, each tradition has developed its own set of concepts and theories without fully acknowledging the other. We believe that this has been detrimental for knowledge accumulation. We argue that more knowledge accumulation in the study of territorial politics is possible if (1) scholars engage with each tradition, and (2) they are attentive to differences, or blind spots, in each traditions' theories, concepts, and scope conditions. Drawing on two examples, the Regional Authority Index (RAI) and Kent Eaton's work (2021) we show the benefits of transcending the boundaries of each tradition. We conclude by proposing a unified framework for the study of territorial politics that incorporates both SNR and MLG.