Kohærensen

Kohærensen is a term used in sociopolitical theory and organizational studies to describe a form of social coherence within a network or community. It denotes arrangements in which participants pursue common goals, maintain high levels of mutual trust, and engage in governance with distributed or participatory authority rather than centralized control.

Etymology and scope: The term blends elements associated with coherence from Northern European languages, with a suffix that marks collective processes. It appeared in scholarly discourse in the early 21st century as analysts contrasted kohærensen with more hierarchical governance models.

Core features: Shared purpose, inclusive deliberation, reciprocal accountability, and voluntary cooperation; non-hierarchical coordination; adaptive capacity; and norm-based legitimacy. Kohærensen networks typically emphasize transparent decision-making, rotating roles, and mechanisms for reflexive evaluation.

Applications and measurement: Researchers use kohærensen as a lens to assess municipal collaborations, citizen assemblies, and cross-sector partnerships. Indicators often include trust levels, participation rates, coherence of goals, response to disturbances, and consistency of outcomes over time.

History and reception: As a relatively new concept, kohærensen has sparked debates about its definitional boundaries and practical limits, particularly in larger or highly stratified settings. Related concepts include social cohesion, network governance, and participatory budgeting.