Acknowledgements
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Arnoud Lagendijk and the editorial team of Regional Studies for their infinite patience; and Bob Jessop, founder-director of Lancaster's Institute for Advanced Studies, for his help and advice, at the time of the programme and since.
Notes
For example, see coverage in Le Monde of the local responses to cutbacks in regional funding demanded by François Hollande since his election to the French Presidency in May 2012.