The Accident of the Region: A Strategic Relational Perspective on the Construction of the Region's Significance

Arnoud Lagendijk

Regional Studies, 2007, vol. 41, issue 9, 1193-1208

Abstract: Lagendijk A. (2007) The accident of the region: a strategic relational perspective on the construction of the region's significance, Regional Studies 41, 1193-1207. In both academic debate and popular perceptions the region is presented as an important entity in economic, political, social, and spatial processes. This has resulted in a strong performative role of the region not only in mainstream debates across these domains, but also in a wide range of political and policy processes and practices. Recent critiques have challenged certain key features of the dominant perception of the region, notably its portrayal of the region as something bounded and fixed. But what triggered the emphasis on the region in the first place? To what extent can the significance of the region be attributed to broader political, economic, and social shifts? To what extent does it present a more accidental outcome of processes and actions that, in combination, happened to put the region centre stage? To address/explore these questions, the paper will adopt the Strategic Relation Approach (SRA) launched by Jessop and further developed by Hay and Sum. This approach advances a historical perspective on the production of hegemonic concepts and also seeks to integrate 'softer' discursive approaches within a broader, structuralist perspective. The result is a more precise identification of how certain more structural changes and shifts induced moments for the creation of new discursive articulations and actions oriented towards the region. Lagendijk A. (2007) La region accidentelle. Une perspective relationnelle strategique sur l'elaboration de l'importance de la region, Regional Studies 41, 1193-1207. Qu'est-ce qui explique le performatif solide de la 'region' sous une optique academique et generale? Jusqu'a quel point ce resultat est-il 'structurel' ou 'accidentel'? Cet article cherche a examiner cette question a deux niveaux. C'est-a-dire, du point de vue des changements politiques, economiques, sociaux plus importants et a partir des mediations institutionnelles et discursives. L'evaluation emploie une facon d'aborder la question fondee sur l'approche relationnelle strategique (Strategic Relation Approach; SRA) et sur des elaborations institutionnelles discursives recentes. On prete une attention particuliere a la question des aspects economiques par rapport aux aspects extra-economiques des 'imaginaires regionaux' et a la notion de la region comme le lieu de la contre-hegemonie. Politique regionale Structuration Discours Effet relationnel Amenagement du territoire Lagendijk A. (2007) Der Zufall der Region. Eine strategisch-relationale Perspektive der Konstruktion der Signifikanz einer Region, Regional Studies 41, 1193-1207. Wie lasst sich die vorherrschende Rolle der, Region' in der akademischen und popularen Auffassung erklaren? Wie, strukturiert' oder, zufallig' ist dieses Ergebnis? Diese Frage wird in diesem Beitrag auf zwei Ebenen erortert: auf der Ebene eines breiteren politischen, wirtschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Wandels und auf der Ebene institutioneller und diskursiver Mediationen. Fur die Bewertung kommt eine evolutionare Perspektive auf der Grundlage des strategisch-relationalen Ansatzes (SRA) und aktueller institutionell-diskursiver Ausfuhrungen zur Anwendung. Besondere Beachtung finden die Frage der wirtschaftlichen im Vergleich zu den ausserwirtschaftlichen Aspekten der, regionalen Imaginaren' sowie die Vorstellung der Region als Standort der, Gegenhegemonie'. Regionalpolitik Stukturierung Diskurse Relationalitat Regionalentwicklung Lagendijk A. (2007) El accidente de la region. Una perspectiva relacional estrategica sobre la construccion del significado de region, Regional Studies 41, 1193-1207. ¿Como se explica el exito de la idea de la 'region' en el mundo academico y popular? ¿En que medida es este resultado 'estructural' o 'accidental'? En este articulo examino esta cuestion a dos niveles: desde las amplias transformaciones politicas, economicas y sociales y desde las mediaciones institucionales y discursivas. En esta evaluacion adopto una perspectiva evolucionaria basada en un enfoque estrategico-relacional y las recientes elaboraciones de discursos institucionales. Presto especial atencion a la cuestion de los aspectos economicos en comparacion con los aspectos extraeconomicos de los 'imaginarios regionales' y considero la region un lugar 'contrahegemonico'. Politica regional Estructuracion Discursos Relacionalidad Desarrollo regional

Keywords: Region formation; Regulation theory; Strategic relational approach; Discursive approaches; State theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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DOI: 10.1080/00343400701675579

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