Analysis of the Emergence and Evolution of Collective Action: An Empirical Case of Spanish Groundwater User Associations

This paper analyses the emergence and evolution of collective action in relation to intensive groundwater user by looking at the case of groundwater user associations in Spain. The paper analyses the rules in norm or constitutional level and the typology of collective organizations, to then offer an empirical analysis of the main factors in the emergence and evolution of collective action in Spanish groundwater user associations. It identifies some key endogenous and exogenous factors that either facilitate or hinder collective action by groundwater users, as well as documenting their evolution through time towards a more diverse institutional range, partly explained by reaching increasing resource limits, which triggers looking for additional resources to minimize and manage risk and uncertainty.