Rural mobilization as rural development: exploring the impacts of new regionalism in Wales and Finland

Abstract

In the current European context, ‘rural development’ is now a much over‐used and misunderstood term. Far from denoting a specific concern for the particular social and economic problems of ‘peripheral rural communities’, since the Cork Declaration of 1996, European policy making, both at central and regional levels, has more meaningfully adopted broader principles of ‘integrated rural development’. However, while many member states are beginning to move away from a sectoral ‘silo’ approach with regard to the management of their rural areas, in recent years the parallel arenas of environmental, cultural, regional and economic development agendas have all become much more vibrant. Looking at the rural regions of Wales in the UK and Ostrobothnia in western Finland, this paper examines some of these contemporary and parallel arenas with regard to their influence in shaping the nature of rural governance. While a rural development policy network is seen to be developing, major questions are raised about how this will position itself in the unfolding multi‐level governance structure.

Notes

The definition and boundary of the Ostrobothnia region has changed throughout history and currently covers slightly different areas, depending on the administration in question. The interviews undertaken for this article were made in the Employment and Economic Development Centre of Ostrobothnia, the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia, and the West Finland Regional Environment Centre. All three authorities have their head office in the city of Vasa. The Ostrobothnia Regional Council is the smallest unit, essentially covering the bilingual coastal zone south and north of Vasa. The Employment and Economic Development Centre of Ostrobothnia covers both the Ostrobothnia Regional Council and the Central‐Ostrobothnia Regional Council (which is located around the city of Kokkola). The West Finland Regional Environment Centre is the largest unit, extending as far as south Ostrobothnia—that is, the region surrounding the city of Seinäjoki.

To support the development of regional innovation environments, in 1996 the Finnish government established the Centres of Expertise Programme—a competitive network of regionally focused units. This network supports specialization and innovation and enables cooperation by benchmarking best practice. The goals of the individual Centres of Expertise include identifying regional strengths and development possibilities, conveying latest knowledge and expertise, and attracting international investment.

Established in 2002, the Regional Centre Programme aims to increase the specialization, promote the profile and enhance internal cooperation within a select number of ‘city regions’.

The Welsh Assembly government has a legal duty on Sustainable Development written into its constitution.

The Programme Monitoring Committee is a central partnership body which takes the key decisions on the strategy and direction of Objective 1 in Wales. It meets regularly to discuss the main themes affecting the programme, including the criteria on which projects are assessed.

Historically, Vasa was the ‘county capital’ of Ostrobothnia, but several factors have decreased its relative position, and today the two others are striving after ‘a strategic regional position’ partly on their own.