European Regional Science Association

ERSA 2003 Congress

Congress Themes

The main theme of the Congress was

"Peripheries, Centres, and Spatial Development in the New Europe".

The phrase 'periphery-centre' reminds of the traditional confrontation in regional science which has again attracted strong interest, especially in the New Economic Geography. The main theme also reflects the integration process and its spatial effects in Europe. In addition, the theme reminds of the geographical position of the host country, Finland, at the edge of Europe.

A list of themes was compiled by using the following three criteria:

• Continuity; It is self-evident to include some more permanent key topics of regional science research every year.
• Novel approaches and issues; The world around us keeps changing and we should identify weak signals of emerging fields.
• Local concerns; In our case such as Nordic peripheries and the Baltic area, incl. Russia.

Themes

1. Re-evaluation of the theoretical toolbox of regional science (on invitation)
2. Methods and modelling
   • STELLA-subsession: Methods and models in transport and telecommunication
3. Location theory
4. Spatial development and planning in Europe
5. Enlargement and beyond
6. Regional strategies and policies, evaluation
7. Urban economy
8. Rural and peripheral regions
   • MOST-subsession: Local development dynamics and potential in peripheral areas
9. Regional labour and housing markets
10. Migration
11. Transport and communications
12. Environment, tourism, recreation
13. IT and spatial patterns of economic growth
14. Innovations and technology in space
15. Entrepreneurship
16. Land use, natural assets and sustainability
17. GIS
18. Infrastructure
    • STELLA-subsession: Institutions, regulation and sustainable transport
19. Demography and population
20. External and internal borders
21. Social capital
22. Economic and regional transition in the Baltic Rim
23. Learning and regional development
24. Young scientist sessions