Disclosing Power Dynamics in Metropolitan Governance: An Analysis of Network Micro‐Mechanisms of Change in an Evolving Inter‐Municipal Network

Original

Disclosing Power Dynamics in Metropolitan Governance: An Analysis of Network Micro‐Mechanisms of Change in an Evolving Inter‐Municipal Network

Karina Arias‐Yurisch, Karina Retamal‐Soto, Alejandro Espinosa‐Rada

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates power dynamics in metropolitan governance by analyzing the evolution of an inter‐municipal network in a Latin American city. It argues that actors build partnering strategies in a bid to improve their position in the network while minimizing the costs of collaborative action. These network micro‐mechanisms aggregate to produce macro‐level structures that may or may not mitigate the starting power asymmetries. By applying stochastic actor‐oriented models (SAOMs) to longitudinal data for 2009–2021, corresponding to three mayoral terms, the research reveals how collaborative dynamics are driven by resource disparities and preferential attachment that, in turn, reinforce the central positions of certain municipalities and potentially exacerbate power imbalances in metropolitan governance. The findings underscore the critical importance of considering these power dynamics when studying the operation and performance of polycentric governance systems, particularly in contexts marked by existing inequalities.