Sent on behalf of Graeme Evans; correspondence to him please.
AAG Annual Meeting, New York, 24-28 February 2012
Call for Papers
Panel Session: Mega-Events – From Eventful Cities to Regional Development
Organisers: Graeme Evans (London Metropolitan University,
UK/Maastricht University, Neths), Lauren Andres (University of
Birmingham), Bas van Heur (Free University Brussels) and Maggie Gold
(London Metropolitan University, UK)
Sponsor: Regional Studies Association (RSA) Research Network on
Mega-Events, Regional Development and Regeneration
Whereas 20 years ago particular attention was given to mega-events as
a way to foster local development and urban regeneration, a
significant change of scales is noticeable: mega-events are positioned
as key catalysts for regeneration and city-regional development,
encompassing major cultural, sporting and trade events from Olympics,
major sporting competitions, Capitals of Culture festivals, to EXPOs.
These events increasingly take on a regional (and local-global)
dimension and impact, as well as cross national and cultural
boundaries. Whilst mega-events often highlight urban development they
also punctuate and accelerate longer term urban regeneration and
growth. Despite their high cost and risk – financial, social,
environmental – cities and increasingly regions, look to major events
and related infrastructure to lever inward investment, improve image
and raise citizen morale, and generate a legacy of facilities,
improved transport and international publicity and branding, in order
to support economic development and growth. This is apparent in
larger, developed cities (e.g. Olympics) where city extensions are
often developed; in small and medium sized cities-regions and
peripheral areas, as well as regionally distributed events.
The RSA research network situates mega-event led regeneration within
regional studies, both to theorise the concept and to transfer
accumulating knowledge and develop methods of planning, impact
evaluation and measurement of their effects over time. This includes
comparing and contrasting the ambitions and impacts of mega-events in
relation to previous exemplars, and identifying the different patterns
addressing such perspectives of regeneration and regional development.
Key themes and topics for the panel are sought to reflect the regional
dimension of mega (or hallmark, and special) events. Topics on other
or related areas will also be of interest:
* Events and regional identity
* Mega-events and regional development and infrastructure
* Events in the periphery
* Events and the Knowledge Region
* Distributive Events
* Mega-Event Governance
* Evaluating and Planning Mega-Events
Abstracts of 250 words should be submitted to Graeme Evans by 21
September [log in to unmask]
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