Nordic welfare states are often looked to by those who favor more collective and collaborative models of governance. However, as in other European countries, in recent decades the New Public Management (NPM) model has hollowed out much of the Nordic welfare state. This book studies Norway, a late adopter of NPM, and demonstrates the consequences of these changes on Norwegian society and its compatibility with the transition to a more sustainable society.

The first half of the book demonstrates the ensuing consequences of NPM on Norwegian society and questions whether NPM is compatible with the transition to the sustainability transition. The second half of the book describes a more transformative direction, furthering sustainable cities that will support the health and wellbeing of its inhabitants better and usher in more collaborative efforts to improve sustainability. Working from visions of a new future rather than from existing systems, based on an alternative and a more holistic governance model, could bring our communities in a more sustainable direction. It will be of great interest to scholars and students of sustainability, public management and urban development.

Kristin Reichborn-Kjennerud is a Research Professor at The Work Research Institute, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. She is a political scientist and sociologist. She has been a leader in several research projects on sustainability, democracy, urban governance and development. She has also published extensively on governance in the public sector, including comparative research on Supreme Audit Institutions.