Agency and Structure in Regional Development: In Search of a Social Science Research Programme

Markus Grillitsch and Markku Sotarauta ()
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Markku Sotarauta: Tampere University, Postal: Finland

No 2023/14, Papers in Innovation Studies from Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research

Abstract: As a concept, agency stretches from philosophical and meta-theoretical elaborations to studies documenting largely idiosyncratic happenings in a particular empirical context, which could be dismissed as anecdotal. In between, and source for the recent revival of scholarly interest, lies the promise to explain transformation processes, multiplex governance, and varieties in wellbeing and development pathways, which are needed in a world overshadowed by crises. Have studies on agency and structure lived up to the promise? Only partly, we argue, and suggest that we need to develop a common ontological commitment as well as adequate mid-range theories and methods coherent with such a commitment. We suggest critical realism as backbone of such a common ontological commitment and discuss potential ways forward for a social science research programme with emancipatory potential, this is to say to contribute to our capabilities to make a difference in the world.

Keywords: Agency and structure; regional development; path development; critical realism; social science methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R00 R10 R50 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2023-12-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-hme
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Journal Article: Agency and structure in regional development: in search of a social science research programme (2025)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2023_014

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