Author Description

"Governance of Europe's City Regions is a structured overview of current debates on cities and regions. It provides an understanding of trends at varying spatial scales and explores a range of different European experiences that consider prospects for the effective governance of city regions. Contrasts arise from diverse economic and spatial contexts, and from the complex interactions of national, regional and local politics and policy." "This book examines the trends in regional development and the responses of European scale regional and urban policy, including the changing role of the European Union with regard to regional issues. The authors' core argument develops a distinction between two types of city region, showing that city regions dominated by a single core city face different challenges from 'polycentric' regions that link groups of cities. In addition to these differences, national constitutional contexts constrain regional and local governments, and local political and cultural forces influence the effectiveness of city and regional governance. Arguments are illustrated through a range of detailed case studies, with particular emphasis on the complex interactions of regional, national and local scales in England and Germany." "Governance of Europe's City Regions introduces and summarizes a broad collection of interdisciplinary literature. It clarifies contemporary debates about regionalism and questions claims about a 'new regionalism'. The authors argue that the city region scale continues to be contested, that no single governance model will fit all experiences. They also asset that there is a need for a careful appreciation within city regions of the interactions of local institutions, their constitutional context and their economic prospects."--Jacket.