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Networked Regions and cities in times of fragmentation:

developing smart, sustainable and inclusive places

Sunday 13th – Wednesday 16th May 2012

(Field trip on Sunday 13th May)

Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

Deadline for the submission of abstracts extended until February 20, 2012

Regions and cities are increasingly interdependent; economically, socially and environmentally. They are, for example, becoming more reliant on interregional flows of trade, labour and resources. Patterns of interactions between regions are experiencing rapid changes as a result of dramatic shifts in production and consumption patterns, advances in communication technologies and the development of transport infrastructure. These changes pose many challenges for the analysis and management of regions. They are also leading to new patterns of activities and relationships and new forms of clustering and networking between regions. At the same time, regions are becoming increasingly fragmented in many ways; economically, socially, environmentally and also politically. Classic forms of government based on clear cut arrangements between administrative levels, policy sectors and the public and private domain are no longer sufficient. The governance of regions faces multi-level, multi-actor and multi-sectoral challenges. New spatial interactions at new scales demand new approaches for consultation and coordination. More flexible (‘softer’) forms of governance are beginning to emerge which seek to work around traditional governmental arrangements. The result is a complex pattern of overlapping governance and fuzzy boundaries, not just in a territorial sense but also in terms of the role of both public and private actors. These new arrangements pose many as yet unresolved dilemmas concerning the transparency, accountability and legitimacy of decision-making. The 2012 RSA conference in Delft provides a timely opportunity for participants to come together and reflect on the various strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities of networked cities and regions within these different contexts of fragmentation.

Papers that consider these issues in relation to the development of smart, sustainable and inclusive places (the three dimensions of the Europe 2020 Strategy) are particularly encouraged.

GATEWAY THEMES:

A. EU Regional policy and practice

B. Climate change, energy and sustainability

C. Migration, housing and labour markets

D. Social and environmental justice and inclusive places

E. Rural and peripheral challenges

F. Territorial cohesion and cooperation

G. City-regions, networks and urban systems

H. Spatial analysis and regional economies

I. Borders, border regions and cross-border learning

J. Industries, entrepreneurship, and regional competitiveness

K. Innovation and knowledge economies

L. Creativity, identities and branding

M. Territorial governance: planning policy and practice

N. Infrastructure and development

O. Local and regional economic development

Speakers:

Karl Peter Schön - Head of the European Spatial and Urban Development Section at the German Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning.

Danuta Hübner - Polish economist
Andreas Faludi - Chair in Spatial Policy Systems
Javier Sanchez Reaza, Economist at the OECD’s Regional Competitiveness and Governance Division
Catherine L. Ross - Georgia Tech's College of Architecture - Director Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD).
Peter Hall - Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning, University College London

Bas Verkerk - Knowledge and Innovation of the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area

Joan Fitzgerald - Director of the Law and Public Policy Program at Northeastern University
Liesbet Hooghe - Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Maarten Hajer - Professor of Public Policy at the University of Amsterdam. Director of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

Organisers welcome proposals for special sessions, themed workshops and innovative forms of networking and collaboration. If you would like to organise or offer a session to the conference please contact: Elizabeth Mitchell at [log in to unmask] and we will assist you.

Academic organisers: Wil Zonneveld: [log in to unmask], Evert Meijers: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask], Dominic Stead: [log in to unmask]

RSA organiser: Elizabeth Mitchell: [log in to unmask]

For more information: http://www.regionalstudies.org/events/2012/May-Delft/

Regional Studies Association ,

PO Box 2058, Seaford, BN25 4QU, United Kingdom

Tel: 00 44 (0)1323 899 698 – Fax: 00 44 (0)1323 899 798

Email: [log in to unmask] – www.regionalstudies.org

Reg. Charity No. 1084165 – Reg. in England and Wales No. 4116288

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