From Image to Identity: Building Regions by Place Promotion

Abstract

This article discusses the idea of institutionalizing a region and building a regional identity by constructing a regional image. Identity and image are thus regarded as intertwining both conceptually and in the everyday practices of regional development, where regional competitiveness is emphasized. It is argued that regional identity is to some extent a prerequisite for successful image building, but the interplay is nevertheless distinctly bidirectional. This means that non-standard or newly established regions are increasingly being constructed by place promotion outside the region, although they do also become familiar to the inhabitants of the region in such an institutionalization process, so that the inhabitants will identify with them accordingly. The link between regional identity and image will largely be shaped conceptually, but the sub-regions in Finland serve as case studies for scrutinizing this linkage.