Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions

The article analyses how a norm scientific perspective can advance our understanding of cross-border regions and guide future directions of research. Cross-border regions are territorial spaces comprising territory from two or more national states, located directly at the borders of those spaces. Si...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sara Svensson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Sociology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2024.1434306/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841540105931587584
author Sara Svensson
author_facet Sara Svensson
author_sort Sara Svensson
collection DOAJ
description The article analyses how a norm scientific perspective can advance our understanding of cross-border regions and guide future directions of research. Cross-border regions are territorial spaces comprising territory from two or more national states, located directly at the borders of those spaces. Since the 1950s it has become increasingly common that cross-border organizations, constituted by local municipalities and regional authorities and sometimes private entities, are established to coordinate governance processes around shared policy problems. These organizations fit into a Type II model of European multi-level governance as complex, fluid, and carried out in overlapping jurisdictions. A norm scientific perspective focuses on joint expectations as a primary predictor of behavior and thereby on social structures as well as social transformations. In accordance with institutional theory, norms are understood as intersubjective, widely shared, but often implicit, expectations and rules that guide human behavior. The article makes two arguments. First, it argues that a norm-scientific perspective has the potential to significantly advance the scientific community's understanding of various aspects related to how cross-border cooperation emergence and functioning. Second, it argues that cross-border regions constitute a promising venue to advance the knowledge of how norms can be studied and understood.
format Article
id doaj-art-45bda1317ad345588a16acb38a376304
institution Kabale University
issn 2297-7775
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Sociology
spelling doaj-art-45bda1317ad345588a16acb38a3763042025-01-14T06:10:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sociology2297-77752025-01-01910.3389/fsoc.2024.14343061434306Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regionsSara SvenssonThe article analyses how a norm scientific perspective can advance our understanding of cross-border regions and guide future directions of research. Cross-border regions are territorial spaces comprising territory from two or more national states, located directly at the borders of those spaces. Since the 1950s it has become increasingly common that cross-border organizations, constituted by local municipalities and regional authorities and sometimes private entities, are established to coordinate governance processes around shared policy problems. These organizations fit into a Type II model of European multi-level governance as complex, fluid, and carried out in overlapping jurisdictions. A norm scientific perspective focuses on joint expectations as a primary predictor of behavior and thereby on social structures as well as social transformations. In accordance with institutional theory, norms are understood as intersubjective, widely shared, but often implicit, expectations and rules that guide human behavior. The article makes two arguments. First, it argues that a norm-scientific perspective has the potential to significantly advance the scientific community's understanding of various aspects related to how cross-border cooperation emergence and functioning. Second, it argues that cross-border regions constitute a promising venue to advance the knowledge of how norms can be studied and understood.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2024.1434306/fullcross-border cooperationborder regionsregionalizationnormsvaluesmulti-level governance
spellingShingle Sara Svensson
Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
Frontiers in Sociology
cross-border cooperation
border regions
regionalization
norms
values
multi-level governance
title Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
title_full Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
title_fullStr Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
title_full_unstemmed Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
title_short Perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in European cross-border regions
title_sort perspective on the role of norms for institutional behavior and policy design in european cross border regions
topic cross-border cooperation
border regions
regionalization
norms
values
multi-level governance
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2024.1434306/full
work_keys_str_mv AT sarasvensson perspectiveontheroleofnormsforinstitutionalbehaviorandpolicydesignineuropeancrossborderregions