Abstract

The subject of this article is the development, and the successive modifications of a theory of political governance. The term "governance", which, being long equated with "governing" - the process aspect of government - was originally intended in the narrow sense of "steering", has recently acquired different meanings, referring to non-hierarchical modes of coordination and basic forms of social order. The author traces the successive paradigm shifts of governance theory, which has gradually extended its analytical framework to adjust to the empirical challenges advanced by the Europeanization and globalization processes, and discusses an important issue about the (cumulative vs. contingent) nature of theory development in political science.