Transitions through reflexive interventions in governance networks

Abstract Transitions toward a desirable future require changes at the level of social networks that ‘manage’ or ‘govern’ societal systems. Learning is a crucial component of transitions, because transitions require change while it is not known yet how to realize that change. Intervention is another crucial component of transition which is essential in order to realize change in networks which are full of established routines and vested interests. In this paper we explore how learning and intervention can be fruitfully combined in an approach which we call ‘reflexive interventions’. In that way, learning is not purely theoretical and intervention is not purely based on routine. We describe a practical method of ‘reflexive intervention’ in the early stages of change processes, and we do a preliminary assessment of its effectiveness. We conclude that they are probably a contribution to ‘knowledge-democracy’.