How Epistemic Communities Shape Dutch Flood Risk Management? An Analysis of Knowledge, Power, and Institutional Structures within Rijkswaterstaat
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2026-04-02
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en
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The Netherlands is threatened by floods due to its low-lying geography and increasing climate change impacts. Dutch flood risk management has traditionally relied heavily on technical and engineering approaches that emphasise structural protection measures. However, in recent shifts toward integrated and risk-based flood risk management, the importance of understanding how epistemic communities shape decision-making is highlighted. This study examines how epistemic communities influence flood risk management strategies within Rijkswaterstaat. Using the Policy Arrangement Approach as a framework, it explores how knowledge is legitimised and how power and resources are distributed. The study uses a qualitative case study design and combines semi-structured interviews with experts with a document analysis of key policy reports.
The findings show that flood risk management within Rijkswaterstaat is strongly shaped by the technical-engineering epistemic community. The combination of the epistemic community framework and the Policy Arrangement allowed the analysis of how decisions regarding flood risk management are shaped. A qualitative case study was conducted at Rijkswaterstaat. This work is based on semi-structured interviews with experts and a document analysis. The study shows that the influence of epistemic communities is embedded in institutional arrangements at Rijkswaterstaat.
Keywords: Epistemic Communities; Flood Risk Management; Rijkswaterstaat; Policy Arrangement Approach; Decision-Making
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen