Implicit negotiations in niche-regime interactions: Relational aspects of agency, accountability, and anticipation in transition studies

Abstract

State-controlled resources are scarce but crucial for niche support and regime reproduction. Thus, both niche and regime actors are continuously seeking to influence actors holding state power to secure favorable policies and resource allocations. To further the knowledge of this process, this article presents a conceptual framework that elucidates how policies are implicitly negotiated between actors at the niche and regime levels. Using data from the ongoing solar PV –Photovoltaics– rollout in Portugal, the influence strategies of grassroots and commercial energy niches are analyzed together with those of the main incumbent. Integrating insights from transition studies and the policymaking literature, this framework explores the relational aspects of actor agency and anticipation effects, elucidating the indirect forms of influence strategies that niche- and regime-level actors and coalitions use, which entail leveraging the accountability of policymakers towards citizens.