Establishing digital knowledge commons for regional land use governance: The case of Bonn/Rhein-Sieg/ Ahrweiler

Abstract

Collective action is informed by what is known. In recent times, technology has substantially changed the imaginaries of sustainable futures and knowledge practices. With the rise of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the nature of knowledge and patterns of interaction have been altered. In this article, I argue that it is necessary to take the coordinating abilities of ICT-enabled knowledge into account for collective action in regional governance processes that aim to address institutional collective action problems.
To satisfy this requirement, the article explores the mediating role of ICT for collective action by conceptualising digital knowledge commons. The four coordinating abilities of digital knowledge commons are presented in the context of regional land use governance with a German case study. In the discussion, the article assesses the mediating ability of technology in the interface of knowledge and regional governance. Lastly, it opens up future research questions for the integration of digital knowledge commons in regional policy and governance.