1 The politics of transition governance. Conceptual understanding and implications for transition management 1 John Grin University of Amsterdam - Amsterdam Institute for Institute for Social Science Research <j.grin@uva.nl> < http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/j.grin/ > To appear in: Int. J. Sustainable Development, vol 14 (2011). Abstract There has been scholarly criticism that transition theory has hitherto largely neglect the politics involved in transition governance. This article offers an analytical framework for understanding powering and legitimization in a way that does not a priori assume that such politics is bound to inhibit transition processes: it seeks to outline how, and under what conditions, strategies to deal with such politics may constructively interfere with transition dynamics towards sustainability. Based on the application of the framework to a historical transition, the modernization of Dutch agriculture in the decades following World War II, we draw some lessons on transition governance, concerning the need for learning not only during the starting phase of a transition, but also during its acceleration; the opportunities offered by other actors than merely frontrunners; and the need to and the need to nurture, and deal with, diversity. Keywords: transition theory, transition dynamics, transition governance, transition management, power, legitimacy, agriculture, Netherlands. 1. Introduction: the governance of transitions and its politics Many contemporary crises – including climate change, the financial crises, and various pandemics - have in common that they (1) represent the dark side of dominant patterns of socio-economic-technological development, and (2) appear to be very difficult to resolve. The idea of transitions (Rip and Kemp, 1998; Rotmans, Kemp and Van Asselt, 2001; Schot, 1998) takes as its point of departure that the persistence of the problems involved (2) may be explained by the fact that (1) implies that these problems are caused by processes which are firmly embedded in societal structures. The second point of departure is that, as a consequence, their resolution is bound to involve both innovative practices and structural adaptation: system innovations and transitions. Such change, in other words, is fundamental as it goes beyond established practices and the structures which have co-evolved with them. 1 This article has been produced as part of the research programme of the Dutch Knowledge Network for System Innovations and transitions (www.ksinetwork.nl ). Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.