The role of government in sustainable development: towards a conceptual and analytical framework for scientific inquiry

Abstract

Epistemological constructivism is generally the product of a priori knowledge and a particular interpretation of phenomena. Constructivism within the social sciences can be regarded as a foundational point of departure for purposes of scientific inquiry. A conceptual framework as product of constructivism is usually designed based on a sound theoretical framework, which lies on a much broader cognitive scale of abstraction. An analytical framework is thus forged from a conceptual framework in order to understand the potential (causal) relationships between concepts in the search for meaning. The concepts sustainable development and government are both highly complex and multidimensional. This article attempts to ring-fence the question: What does the role of government entail in sustainable development? To gain understanding of this role a constructivist approach is followed in which a conceptual and an analytical framework are designed for scientific inquiry.