Who influences whom and how in river-basin governance?A participatory stakeholder and social network analysis in Zayandeh-Rud basin, Iran

Power is a central concept in studying complex governance systems as it determines how stakeholders influence each other to achieve their preferred outcomes. Little is still known about complex power dynamics in water governance networks. Along this line, this study aims to investigate who influences whom and how in river-basin governance in the case of Zayandeh-Rud river basin (ZRB) in Iran. We applied a participatory stakeholder analysis (SA) and a social network analysis (SNA) to identify the relevant stakeholders and investigate their attributes and network-based characteristics in the ZRB's water governance system. A mixed-methods approach was used for information gathering using several interviews, focus groups, workshops, and a survey. We assembled different forms of power with interest to exclusively analyze the power dynamics in water governance system. We developed a multiplex social influence network comprising 24 stakeholders related together through four types of power-laden relationships with differing strengths. Our findings show that stakeholders with the same degree of power and interest may play different roles in the governance processes, which can be explained by their position and power relations in the multiplex network. We conclude that combining the results of SA and SNA analyses can contribute to better understanding of how water resources are governed and by whom, but a careful conceptualization of power is needed for meaningful interpretations. Our findings have important implications for diagnosing the power dynamics of stakeholders, conducting negotiations and conflict resolution processes, and facilitating social learning and mutual development of engagement strategies.