konventionKonvention

konventionKonvention is a theoretical concept used in discussions of norm governance and social coordination. It refers to a higher-order convention that regulates how conventions themselves are created, modified, and enforced within a community. By signaling a meta-norm about norms, konventionKonvention makes explicit the rules and procedures that determine the life cycle of ordinary rules, from proposal through dispute resolution to adoption and revision.

The term is a neologism that combines the German word Konvention with repetition to emphasize recursion: a convention about conventions. In practice, konventionKonvention is used to analyze how communities establish processes for evaluating existing norms, deciding when to revise them, and determining who has the authority to do so. It often involves explicit provisions for participation, thresholds for agreement, and mechanisms for accountability.

Across domains, konventionKonvention can be observed at multiple levels. In online platforms, codes of conduct may themselves be governed by meta-rules that prescribe how those codes are updated. In international or organizational settings, the procedures for recognizing, codifying, or modifying norms function as a konventionKonvention, shaping which norms endure and how conflicts over norms are resolved. The concept helps illuminate the circularity of normative systems, where rules are both governed by and governing higher-level norms.

Critics argue that the term risks vagueness if the meta-rule layer is not clearly specified. Proponents view it as a useful lens for analyzing recursive governance in digital communities, legal systems, and collaborative institutions. Further research may connect konventionKonvention with formal models of norm entrepreneurship and institutional design.