8th Conference on Environmental Education in Europe - Gent 2002-10-14 September University of Leuven - Centre for Research on Adult and Continuing Education Research program 'Society and Education'.
Active citizenship and social learning the complexity of present society confronts the authorities with their limits. In times of reflexive modernization (Beek, Giddens & Lash, 1997) policymakers have increasing difficulties to control social, economical and ecological risks and problems. Therefore they are in search for ways to improve the decision making process and to regain citizen's confidence. Both objectives imply that authorities have to redefine their starting points and strategies. Traditional pathways and clear cut problem solving procedures have lost their legitimacy. The conviction gained ground that the complex and dynamic problems of present day society cannot be solved by one (or a few) central 'control rooms', but that instead the solution for such problems is situated within the unpredictable dynamics of interaction among different stakeholders.
