Subnational governments have become central arenas for policy innovation, institutional adaptation, and territorial development, yet their capacity to act collaboratively and effectively varies widely across contexts. This panel invites papers that examine subnational governance from multiple, complementary angles: the design and performance of collaborative governance mechanisms (multi-stakeholder platforms, co-production schemes, open government initiatives); the state and institutional capacities that enable or constrain subnational action; the policy capacities—analytical, operational, and political—that shape how subnational governments design and implement public policy; and the ways these dynamics translate into local and subnational development outcomes.
We welcome contributions employing diverse theoretical and methodological approaches, including comparative case studies, quantitative analyses, and process-tracing research, across regions and policy sectors. Papers addressing the following questions are particularly encouraged:
* How do collaborative governance arrangements emerge, function, and evolve at the subnational level?
* What institutional or state capacities are necessary for effective subnational policymaking, and how are they built or eroded?
* How do capacity asymmetries between subnational units shape policy outcomes and collaborative dynamics?
* What is the relationship between collaborative governance, institutional capacity, and local/subnational development trajectories?
* What role do multilevel relations play in strengthening or undermining subnational governance and territorial development?
The panel aims to bring together scholars working on subnational governance broadly defined, fostering dialogue across disciplinary and regional traditions