Whether in terms of regional economic growth or economic inclusion, there is now an increased focus on the role of regions in national and global economies. Regions are recognized as important sources of economic potential and competitiveness, and can be used to address challenges such as aging populations or declining industries, climate change, resource availability, and demographic shifts.
Regional development is a multidimensional process that requires complex understandings across a variety of disciplines and scales. As a result, the topic has attracted the attention of economists, geographers, sociologists, and political scientists, among others. In some cases, these disciplines have collaborated on the analysis of regional developments.
Several influential research paradigms have emerged in the field of regional development. These include evolutionary economic geography (EEG), which focuses on the evolution of regional innovation systems, and the theory of regional innovation and development (RISD), which emphasizes the role of clusters and districts in the economy and the importance of local knowledge in industrial growth.
In both cases, however, the issue of power relations remains underdeveloped. The analysis of who possesses and exercises power in regional development, how this is skewed, and how different relations come to the surface is a crucial element to consider. A narrative approach to this question can help to bring out these aspects and contribute to a more nuanced debate in the area of regional development. Moreover, the analysis of how power is reflected in the language and metaphors used in narratives can reveal which concepts and assumptions about regional development are widely accepted and which are not.
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