Samenvatting

In recent decades, public administration has branched out into numerous fields and subfields. As a result of continuous growth and ongoing specialization, theoretically, thematically and methodically, and further internationalization, public administration is omnipresent. The recent emphasis on ‘societal impact’ has further reinforced this. An international academic research and publication culture is combined with national and local impact and practical relevance. At the same time, the question is whether public administration visibly and directly contributes to the analysis and tackling of societal issues, such as sustainability, energy and equality of opportunity. In this article, Dr Honingh, Dr Overmans and Professor Noordegraaf build upon their recent book, Societal Public Administration (2023). They argue that public administration is too silent, too quiet and too neutral when it comes to dealing with real and pressing societal issues. They explore what it takes to improve connective capabilities of public administration experts to be more ‘in the lead’ in societal circuits, to contribute to societal debates, to take a stance, to become more active, if not activists. This calls for actions via academic and practitioner associations and networks, via policy think thanks and advisory boards, and via training and research programmes at universities and colleges.