Crossing trails in the marshes: rigidity and flexibility in the governance of the Danube Delta

Environmental governance in the Danube Delta is shaped by rigid path dependencies and flexible interdependencies, with direct citizen participation alone risking reinforcement of informal institutions. The study combines path dependence theory and social systems theory to analyze governance evolution, revealing that effective reforms require collaboration across multiple institutions rather than isolated citizen engagement. This insight challenges conventional approaches to participatory governance in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Danube Delta.

Van Assche, K., Beunen, R., Jacobs, J., & Teampau, P. (2011). Crossing trails in the marshes: rigidity and flexibility in the governance of the Danube Delta. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 54(8), 997–1018. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2010.547687