Abstract Summary
Professionals in the (semi ) public sector are increasingly confronted with divergent complex and urgent societal problems, including climate change, social inequality, major shortages in the labor and housing markets, and in a broader sense, the crisis of confidence between citizens and government. Simultaneously, these problems are increasingly surrounded by sometimes contradictory or incompatible demands and questions about how and with whom to tackle such problems. The "how" refers to an accumulation of incompatible guiding logics, and the "who" to the multitude of organizations and parties involved in implementation and planning. This multiplicity of demands contributes to diverse governance challenges that are ultimately (also) the responsibility of policymakers and semi public professionals (Bannink et al., 2015; de Zeeuw et.al, 2019). How can they deal with this tension to contribute to a just city, in which there is room for diverse and often conflicting interests? In this, struggles often arise about what is 'good' or 'bad', who has the upper hand in determining a policy course. Such struggles are often seen as 'ugly' or undesirable, but are at the same time instrumental in making dilemmas and tension visible (Van der Heijden et al, 2023). Relevant in this context is the co creation and implementation of new policies for multidisciplinary issues, shaping effective public private partnerships and strengthening the collaborative capacity of departments and professionals (De Groot et al, 2023). This requires employees and organizations to cope with tensions and innovate in the public domain (Van Putten, 2023). Purpose During this workshop, we address dilemmas in a hands on way (using the serious game "Make your Move"), based on practical examples brought in by professionals that we collectively reflect upon. What strategies do we draw on in dealing with dilemmas? Which guiding logics and underlying values play a role in different situations? And how can public professionals find a way to move forward with different stakeholders? Learning outcomes: The workshop targets public professionals and researchers interested in collaborative governance and co creation of sustainability transitions, working across domains. By contributing examples from their own practice, participants learn to recognize and analyze dilemmas based on current scientific knowledge, towards more accountable responses to diverse governance challenges. We draw on a practical case example of the energy transition in Amsterdam Zuidoost and/or Nieuw-West. Pressing dilemmas for involved program managers are the urgency of the transition vs. inclusiveness and energy justice, formal responsibility vs. informal stakeholder involvement, all based on underlying, conflicting narratives and future perspectives of stakeholders (Haarbosch e.a., 2023). Building on a case, we explore how an area manager can bring together different formal/informal public and private parties within a city district in this context.
