The Credibility Thesis, a decade onwards: A review of the theoretical field, findings and future

Abstract

Research on land use policy has been vexed by the pivotal question of which institutions achieve credibility. Scholars have been split as it has been difficult to assess credibility. To provide a solution, an alternative theory pushed forward a renewed understanding of the question why some property rights succeed while others fail. At its heart is the axiom that Form – be it private/public, secure/insecure or formal/informal – follows from Function. This position – aka the Credibility Thesis – has propelled a fundamental change on the study of land, housing, settlements and resources evidenced through a steady stream of publications. Building on this literature, this collection reports several findings: 1) theoretical – credibility revolves around maintaining congruence between the function of institutions; 2) methodological – credibility can be measured via conflict, perceptual divergences and shifts over time; 3) empirical – institutions tend to change when functional congruence is disregarded while enduring when it is safeguarded. The findings cover different geographies (ranging from India and Ethiopia to China and Colombia) demonstrating the theory’s applicability. The collection ends with a double treatise; one pointing out like-minded bodies of thought with reference to Elinor Ostrom and another identifying quandaries that research must consider. To appreciate the collection’s main thrust, this introduction leads it off by reviewing 10 years’ research on the Credibility Thesis in terms of the field, findings and future.