ABSTRACT
In this paper, we intend to respond to how the international literature on cooperation between local governments differs internally regarding the nature of the organizations that support it and how these articulate the interests of their members. Mobilizing as a methodology the literature review focusing on interlocal cooperation problems, until reaching the saturation point, we assumed the objective of identifying different groups of studies taking as a criterion the typology of collaboration risks proposed in the scope of the Institutional Collective Action Theory. At the end, we identified three groups: voluntary partnerships, such as associations for the realization of common interests, regional governance and management of metropolitan regions, the latter also incorporating themes to which local governments attribute different emphasis or even put themselves in a conflicting position, albeit under different conditions. The identified groupings refer to institutional obstacles and dilemmas for cooperation, both from the point of view of the institutional powers delegated to the association and the breadth of the scope of its agenda.
Keywords:
Interlocal cooperation; transaction costs; intercity partnerships; regional governance; metropolitan regions