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Polycentric Governance

It’s Ordered Chaos: What Really Makes Polycentrism Work​

As a general definition, “polycentric” governing occurs when “many centers” ad- dress a given policy concern. The diffuse decision points can be scattered across multiple scales (local, national, regional, and global) and various sectors (public, private, and hybrid). The participating organizations in a polycentric arrangement often have overlapping mandates, ambiguous hierarchies of authority, and no ul- timate arbiter. Continual creation and reconstruction of institutions and relation- ships among them also tend to make polycentric governing processes quite fluid.

Gemini - ICN Interview 1 - 15-08​

The overarching principle of decentralized decision-making across the ICN network. Define in contrast to both traditional hierarchies and fully leaderless systems.

  • Polycentric Plus: The ICN's Unique Approach: Polycentricity isn't merely about distributed decision-making. Highlight the proactive focus on conflict resolution training, the development of tech tools that surface hidden tensions, and the explicit "caring infrastructure" the ICN provides its member. This showcases how the ICN addresses the practical challenges often glossed over in abstract discussions of decentralized governance.