European Regional Science Association
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European Regional Science Association
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The abstract for paper number 241:
Petri Kahila, , Seinäjoki, Finland
Concept, Space and Policy of Urban-Rural Interaction
The discourse on urban-rural interaction has expanded during the the last few years to embrace a number of theoretical perspectives and policy applications. At the core of the debate lies the question of how urban-rural interaction can be achieved in balance between urban and rural areas.
Urban-rural interaction could be unravelled by analysing and considering its individual phases and forms or, on the other hand, by describing different relationships and connections in its manifestation. A single action or procedure always comprises a component in a comprehensive entity that in practice forms a wider circle of interdepedencies. These actions and procedures are examined in various pieces of research, but there has been only a few intentions to illustrate the concept in its entirety.
There is a need to develop a thorough understanding of the specific features and contexts within which policy makers are currently implementing their development measures in relation to urban-rural interaction. What is also significant is how political and structural circumstances are reflected in requirements and needs for territorial foresight.
This paper explores the concept of urban-rural interaction and how it applies to current political and structural environment. The analysis is contextualised through review of national, regional and local policy on urban-rural interaction, before the concept is pulled apart and a range of its main constituents reviewed. The intention is to explore the affinities between different types of futures generated by multiple and different factors that are active in urban and rural contexts.
The argument is made that most of the development measures and procedures on urban-rural interaction still mainly consider a single vision that guides policy making, rather than examining alternative possibilities or detecting new ways and procedures.
Unfortunately full paper has not been submitted.