The Regional Puzzle


Book Description

Regions have increasingly broken ground in the European sphere. For decades, they have been subject to forces both influencing them from above (regionalisation), as well as from below (regionalism). In the European Union, the regions and their actors have mainly manifested themselves via EU Regional Policy. Besides a closer look at the rationales behind this trend (e.g. multi-level governance) and the changes in the decision-making process, three case regions have thoroughly been addressed - Latvia, Scotland, and Saxony. This dissertation highlights the pitfalls, the possibilities, and the position of regions and its actors, in both the domestic and the European setting, in a clear and structured way. Dissertation. (Series: European Regions / Regionen in Europa - Vol. 4)




The Regional Security Puzzle around Afghanistan


Book Description

Western military presence wanes in Afghanistan and a transformed security environment challenges borders and stability in Central Asia. This book examines how the tensions relating to the reorganization of external military presence interact with regional states’ ambitions and challenge the borders already contested by numerous dividing lines. It studies a complex political landscape across which radical Islam connected with international terrorism is feared to spread as the international mission initiated in the wake of the 9/11 attacks winds down.




Political Parties in the Regions of Russia


Book Description

Combining statistical and qualitative analysis, including numerous case studies, this text explains why political parties have failed to take hold in Russia's regions. The author's argument is bolstered by a database of regional elections held between 1993-2003.




Regional and Urban Economics and Economic Development


Book Description

Thorough and authoritative, Regional and Urban Economics and Economic Development: Theory and Methods provides students with a sound approach to analyzing the economic progress of a region or urban area. The textbook is divided into four sections for ease of reference. The first section, Market Areas and Firm Location Analysis introduces spatial economics and location theory, while the next section, Regional Growth and Development analyzes regional growth and development models and policy. Introducing the foundations of urban economics, Urban Land Use and Urban Form examines land rent, land use patterns, and the effects of attempts to control land uses. The final section, Urban Problems and Policy, investigates local public finance and introduces the policy analysis involved in countering urban problems. Addressing these topics from the perspectives of how they affect the population at large and how they become established within public policy, Regional and Urban Economics and Economic Development: Theory and Methods provides students with an essential foundation not only to understand but also to contemplate the dynamics of varying economic factors as they relate to an area's growth.




Japan, China and Networked Regionalism in East Asia


Book Description

Viewing the rise of China from Japan's perspective, the author elucidates Japanese policy responses and their implications for regional institution building. It fills a gap in knowledge about the development of East Asian regional institutions and Sino-Japanese relationships.




Democracy, Civic Culture and Small Business in Russia's Regions


Book Description

This book adopts a novel analytical approach to understanding how Russia's stalled democratisation is related to the incomplete liberalisation of the economy. Based on extensive original comparative study of Russia’s regions, the book explores the precise channels of interaction that create the mutuality of property rights, entrepreneurship, rule of law, norms of citizenship and liberal democracy. It demonstrates that the extent of democratisation varies across regions, and that this variation is connected to the extent of liberalisation of the economy. Moreover, it argues that the key factor in producing this linkage is the relative prominence of small business owners and their supporters in articulating their interests vis-à-vis regional and local administrations, especially through the institutionalisation of networks and business associations. The book develops its key theses by means of detailed analysis of the experiences of four case study regions. Overall, the book provides a major contribution to understanding the path of democratisation in Russia.




Change and Continuity in Spatial Planning


Book Description

This book addresses a question of enduring interest to planners: can planning really bring about significant and positive change?




Methods For Identifying Local Import Substitution Opportunities To Foster Sustainable Regional Economies


Book Description

Why does buying local make so much economic sense for regions? What are the biases and strengths of using a traditional economic base approach to regional economic analysis versus industry cluster analysis? This engaging book explores answers, using the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts as a testing ground. Great for regional planners in food systems, economic development, transportation, industrial development, and more.







Handbook on Cohesion Policy in the EU


Book Description

This Handbook covers all major aspects of EU Cohesion policy, one of the most significant areas of intervention of the European Union. Over five parts, It discusses this policy’s history and governing principles; the theoretical approaches from which it can be assessed; the inter-institutional and multi-level dynamics that it tends to elicit; its practical implementation and impact on EU member states; its interactions with other EU policies and strategies; and the cognitive maps and narratives with which it can be associated. An absolute must for all students of the EU.