The concept of transboundary policy issues

The concept of transboundary policy issues is one topic that is quite sensitive and brings with it heated debates on the best way to approach it. The sharing of national resources especially water is an issue that results in many conflicts and hence the need for policies to solve such problems. Various jurisdictions have their ways of dealing with transboundary issues, and the difference comes in trying to find a common ground. In that case, there are several approaches that are available for explorations. Some of the approaches that are being explored include the art of knowledge sharing between the conflicting parties. The process involves the use ofintegrated water resources management (IRWM) initiatives. Although competing methods for addressing transboundary water issues are available, this paper takes the position that creating epistemic communities is the most useful way to solve these issues. The paper supports this position in four sections: the first section defines key terms for understanding the elements of the argument; the second section uses the details from two case studies to illustrate the strengths associated with using epistemic communities; the third section evaluates opposing perspectives for addressing issues; and the fourth section summarizes the evidence supporting the position that creating epistemic communities is the most useful way to solve these issues.

Discussion of Terms

Before addressing the specifics of epistemic communities, it is important to provide a brief discussion of the core concepts used in this analysis. A starting point for this discussion is a definition of what factors define transboundary waters issues. Transboundary water issues are composed of three components that include political, social and cultural aspects. The political factors are those factors that emanate from the administrative issues surrounding the transboundarywater issues. They revolve around the local leaders and how they influence decision-making. The cultural aspects are the issues that revolve around the historical perspectives that contribute to the present problem of the transboundary water issue. The social factors are the issues that revolve around the mannerism and behaviors of the people within the transboundary water issue.

The complex nature of transboundary issues has generated multiple perspectives for trying to explain how problems are defined in solutions generated in such an environment. One perspective is provided by network analysis. It provides a framework and a set of techniques that are used in studying the interactions of social actors within a particular group. The modern dynamic environments have called for the exploration of such a concept and relate it to how it can be utilized in the bigger picture of providing solutions. Issues that have to do with globalization have brought societies even closer and made network analysis a good tool for utilization. The concept involves interrogating the social bonds between communities and their level of integration. It goes ahead and makes use of communication as an important aspect that differentiates communities and how they relate to each other. The art of communication is what connects communities. Through an analysis of the various connections and understandings, the tool gets at the depth of communities and identifies the intricacies that define and distinguish them.

A second perspective is provided by the social ecology framework. Social ecology is a concept that involves the study of the physical and local environment and how they contribute to the sociopolitical context. Such a physical………………………………