Ambtelijk activisme: duiding, legitimering en agenda voor de toekomst

Civil servant activism: interpretation, legitimation and agenda for the future Civil servant activism has been a hot topic in the Dutch administrative world for some time now, but in our opinion the debate lacks sharpness and nuance. In this article we kick off with a careful reflection on civil servant activism in administrative science. We define civil servant activism as ‘an extraordinary action by civil servants against a perceived system failure in government based on conflicting public loyalties’. We show that civil servant activism is not a new phenomenon, but that trends can be observed that fuel it. We discuss similarities and differences with other civil servant ‘roles’ that are already known from the literature, such as the policy entrepreneur and the institutional activist. Although civil servant activism is not legitimate by definition, there are various sources of legitimacy that can (in mutual combinations) legitimise civil servant activism. Because civil service activism is a multiform phenomenon, we present a quadrant with four manifestations using current examples: the civil service opponent, the undercover activist, the protesting civil servant and the activist in his own time. Each type has its own considerations and dilemmas. Finally, we position ourselves in the current discussion and present an agenda for research, education, advice and academic debate.