Nordic Division of the Regional Studies Association (NoRSA)
17-19 June 2019, University Consortium of Seinäjoki, Finland
Davids and Goliaths: Regions in the Age of Urbanisation and Digitalisation
Regions are entities consisting of different types of places and spaces. There are cities, towns and rural areas with different potentials and challenges. Regions are also in constant flux due to versatile economic, social and cultural processes both internal and external to them. Megatrends, such as urbanisation and digitalisation, are affecting all kinds of regions and places by changing their positions, opportunities and future potential. Some regions turn out to be agile Davids and some transform into powerful Goliaths, but how will these transitions happen? Do we recognize the variety of these transition processes and are they real? What kinds of urban and regional development strategies are feasible?