Governance as a Theory: Five Propositions

with the introduction of Bob Jessop

Abstract

The article deals with theories of governance and management of public affairs. The author analyses the major theoretical approaches for which key categories are constituted by the concepts of governance and management in the context of activity of state structures. The article discusses the evolution of understanding of these terms (both in theory and in practice) as well as the process of gaining autonomy by the actors of the public management network. The key characteristics of the process are the continually increasing range of their impact on public affairs and expansion to include non-public actors. The author discussed the phenomenon of progressive erosion of the dominant position of state actors within public management networks.