Akteursgruppe

Akteursgruppe is a term used in political science and sociology to describe a defined set of actors who have a stake in or influence over a particular issue, policy domain, or decision-making process. The group comprises individuals, organizations, institutions, or social actors who share an interest in the outcome and interact through negotiation, collaboration, pressure, or competition. Boundaries of an Akteursgruppe are often problem- and context-specific and can be defined by geography, sector (public, private, civil society), or function (regulators, implementers, funders, affected communities).

Functions and roles of an Akteursgruppe include shaping agendas, influencing decisions, mobilizing resources, providing expertise, legitimizing outcomes, and protecting specific interests. The composition and power of a group can change over time due to shifts in resources, policy priorities, or external events.

Identification methods used in research include stakeholder analysis and mapping to delineate Akteursgruppen, assessing factors such as interest, influence, legitimacy, urgency, and interdependencies. Tools often employed are influence diagrams, power–interest grids, and network analysis.

Relation to related concepts: an Akteursgruppe is related to policy networks and governance arrangements but centers on the set of active players around an issue, while networks describe the relational structure among actors.

Examples: in environmental policy, an Akteursgruppe might include government ministries, industry associations, NGOs, scientists, media, and local communities; in health policy, patients’ groups, clinicians, insurers, and regulators may form an Akteursgruppe.