Co-producing knowledge: joint knowledge production between experts, bureaucrats and stakeholders in Dutch water management projects

This article analyzes the process of knowledge co-production between experts, bureaucrats and stakeholders in two Dutch water management projects. The methods used for coproduction are analyzed, along with the impact of the resulting knowledge on the decision-making process. Based on the cases, it is concluded that knowledge co-production between experts and bureaucrats is not very problematic, because of discipline congruence and institutionalized relations between the two in Dutch water management. Knowledge coproduction between stakeholders on the one hand and experts and bureaucrats on the other is more problematic and leads to problems of legitimacy in knowledge production and decision-making. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.