MSc thesis Pieter van Dalen: 'The future of the Bogotá River headwaters'

You are hereby invited to the MSc thesis presentation by Pieter van Dalen on ‘Power at the source: the future of the Bogotá River headwaters. Exploring the role of policy entrepreneurs and power in watershed conservation’.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr Art Dewulf, Public Administration and Policy Group
Examinor: Dr Ir Jeroen de Vos, Water Resources Management

Date: 23 October 2024
Time: 15-16.00 hours
Hybrid meeting: Join the meeting via this link // Physical location: Leeuwenborch building, 3^rd floor, room 3029

Title: Power at the source: the future of the Bogotá River headwaters. Exploring the role of policy entrepreneurs and power in watershed conservation’

Abstract:
This research addresses the need to conserve the headwaters of the Bogotá River, a region facing challenges such as deforestation, agricultural practices, and land use changes. Varying stakeholders are, through conflict or collaboration, involved in watershed conservation processes. These processes occur in policy spaces in which different forms of power are navigated. In these spaces, policy entrepreneurs advocate for their problem frames and solutions by investing time and resources in anticipation of a window of opportunity. This research examined how policy entrepreneurship and power dynamics explain watershed management in the headwaters of the Bogotá River.

This research offers a novel approach to integrating the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) developed by Kingdon (1984) and the Power Cube developed by Gaventa (2006). Two organisations were investigated through a qualitative case study. Namely Agua Somos (AS),
a water fund, and Al Verde Vivo (AVV), an ecological restoration NGO. Data collection occurred through fieldwork divided over two and
a half months with (non) participant observations, semi-structured and informal interviews, and literature searches. Data was analysed through deductive manual coding.

The results showed that both organisations display characteristics of policy entrepreneurship and have varying ways of navigating spaces, levels, and forms of power. AVV influences policymaking from the fringes of the institutional structures, whereas AS is more part of it.
AS is part of water policy decision-making processes, and AVV operates mainly in created spaces to oppose powerful actors. These institutional constraints and social constructs heavily influence the agency of policy entrepreneurs through power imbalances between different stakeholders. Because AS is more embedded in power structures, they are more capable of navigating forms of power in various spaces and levels. At the same time, AVV operates more as an actor opposing powerful actors and challenging the status quo. Creating inclusive policy making spaces and strengthening awareness among relevant actors could significantly enhance the combined effort of all people to improve the quality of the Bogotá River.