Accountability and hybridity in welfare governance. (24th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benish, Avishai; Mattei, Paola
• Other Names: Benish Avishai guestEditor.; Mattei Paolo guestEditor.; Lenschow Andrea guestEditor.; Burns Charlotte guestEditor.; Zito Anthony guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Public administration. Volume 98:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 281
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2020-02-24
• Subjects: Public administration -- Periodicals; Civil service -- Periodicals; 350
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.12640
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3298

Abstract

Abstract: Hybridity has become a central characteristic of accountability in public governance. Contemporary service delivery is increasingly defined by the mixing and layering of public, market and social accountability regimes operating as overlapping 'hybrid' accountability arrangements. Although hybrid accountability is not a new phenomenon, recent trends have accelerated the process of hybridization, particularly in welfare state governance. In this symposium, we seek to advance our understanding of the under‐theorized concept of hybrid accountability and empirically examine what is actually going on. In this introductory article, we put forward a definition of what hybridity means in public welfare governance and explore its origins and dynamics. We then present the articles of this symposium, showing how they go beyond fixed and static typologies to grasp the dynamics of interactions between actors, values and mechanisms under hybrid accountability. We conclude by reflecting on a future research agenda for studying hybrid accountability arrangements.