Marginalization, Globalization and Regional and Local Responses

Session Description:

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated global social and economic inequality levels, induced economic recession and exacerbated political uncertainties which altogether have destabilised the predictability and perceived improvements in human welfare which characterised the last three decades. These processes have forced many communities, places and regions into more pronounced situations of marginalisation – economically, socially, politically and geographically as well as environmentally. A reality now widely associated with the term ‘left behind places’. In this session we will explore evidence of growing marginalisation and its causes as well as debate solutions – drawing on emerging evidence of regional and local response and national and international support where it exists. Papers which explore issues such as the nature and causes of marginalisation, the role of place-based leadership, social capital and the realities of the causes and implications of ‘left behind places’. We conceptualise left behind places as emerging from developmental disruptions and are particularly prevalent in border and cross border regions. In this regards papers which focus on cross border cooperation projects – aiming to foster the cooperation, involve local communities and (re)building regional identities as drivers of regional development), endogenous development and related issues are particularly welcomed. More generally, papers can focus on global, regional or local issues or on multi-scalar issues.

Session description:

Landscape has been a central theme in geography for centuries, albeit with varying interpretations of the word, but it always has a spatial connotation. Although at first glance it looks as if it is an objective term, it has in fact a very subjective component: landscape is perceived by humans and assigned (aesthetic) qualities that will eventually also enter politics. This emerges, for example, in the discussions about wind parks, photovoltaic parks or dams. The sheer necessity of such structures for modern energy supply and the energy transition has to be weighed against the concept of ‘beautiful landscape.’ As with all geographical spaces, inequalities exist - socially, economically, politically and environmentally -, creating landscapes characterised by either privilege or marginalisation. Our interest in this session is in the latter - namely how people and places in landscapes ‘marginal’ to the mainstream cope and respond in an era of change.

The transformation of landscape is therefore an interesting and insightful topic to understand human values and actions. Marginal regions are often left behind in development processes and considered of little interest for investment to improve their situation. However, demarginalization requires the will to go beyond lip service and entails also certain (financial) risks.

This session wants to shed light on the potential of landscape changes in marginal regions.

Session topics:

Papers (in English or French) are invited with a focus on the following topics:

·  Renewable energy and landscape

·  Landscape diversity

·  Perception of marginal regions

·  The role of grassroot movements

·  Policy issues on inequality and marginal regions