Conceptualisations of Territorial Cohesion in Central European border regions

Demeterova, Barbara; Goodwin-Hawkins, Bryonny and Fischer, Tatjana (2020): Conceptualisations of Territorial Cohesion in Central European border regions. In: European Planning Studies, Vol. 28, No. 12: pp. 2287-2306

Abstract

Despite decades of spending, Cohesion Policy appears unable to fully address growing national disparities and increasing 'roll-out' nationalism. In the present study we discuss regional effects of 'fuzzy' policy concepts, such as EU's policy for Territorial Cohesion, in Central European borderlands from a stakeholder perspective. Identifying how key policy documents have framed the discussion of Territorial Cohesion, we furthermore demonstrate the differing ways regional stakeholders have interpreted this vision. By showing how multiple translations have produced dynamics that create a circular process, we conclude that this process leads towards non-comparable outcomes, increased misunderstanding, while fuelling EU scepticism.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Geosciences > Department of Geography
• Subjects: 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences and geology
• ISSN: 0965-4313
• Language: English