Contested visions of regional futures in Inland Norway: data storage, TikTok and the symbolic value of megaprojects

Atle Hauge, Trond Nilsen and Giuseppe Calignano

Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, 325-339

Abstract: Herein, we analyse the social and economic processes that led to the construction of a large data storage centre in Inland Norway. Starting from the theoretical foundation that narratives and symbolic value are important to the emergence of regional development paths—and on the basis that narratives, symbolic value and materiality are strongly interlinked—we argue that megaprojects can be symbols of imagined futures, as well as controversy, in regional development. We identify three main tensions related to the data centre construction: (i) technology and greening, (ii) geography and scale and (iii) the geopolitical situation. Using a path-tracing approach, document analysis and qualitative interviews, we show how megaprojects’ symbolic values vary depending on the positions and perspectives of the involved actors. Theoretically, we emphasise that symbolic value does not exist in a vacuum, but rather is shaped by the dialectic relations between intangible narratives and tangible elements.

Keywords: megaprojects; symbolic value; regional development; path tracing; narratives (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society is currently edited by Judith Clifton, Anna Davies, Betsy Donald, Emil Evenhuis, Stefania Fiorentino (Associate Editor), Harry Garretsen, Meric Gertler, Amy Glasmeier, Mia Gray, Robert Hassink, Dieter Kogler, Michael Kitson, Linda Lobao, Charles van Marrewijk, Ron Martin, Peter Sunley, Peter Tyler and Chun Yang

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