Social License to Operate: The Road Traveled, the Path Ahead

The literature surrounding social license has seen significant growth in recent years, signaling a fundamental shift in the management of economic development and projects. Despite this rapid expansion, the literature on social license remains fragmented and lacks theoretical depth. Furthermore, various disciplinary fields have contributed to this body of knowledge with limited integration and interdisciplinary dialogue. Consequently, the field of social license can be characterized as being in a pre-paradigmatic stage, according to Kuhn. In this chapter, I summarize a decade of my research on social license, outlining how my understanding of this concept has evolved. I also conclude by discussing limitations observed in the literature and proposing a research agenda to enhance our understanding of social license through theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and epistemological considerations.