Towards a new spatial perspective – Norwegian politics at the crossroads

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the article is to investigate how the hegemony of traditional regional policy in Norway has been weakened in favour of policies of a new type, derived from the combined effect of climate concerns and a search for increased structural efficiency. This phenomenon is identified as an ‘eco-spatial’ turn that marks a new policy regime with changing agendas. The policy transition is analysed by drawing on existing scientific literature in the fields concerned, central policy documents, and relevant news articles. The results of the analysis substantiate that a decisive turn has taken place, with the period of transition between the two policy types identified as 1992–2015. This shift in policy orientation has important institutional and political consequences, including the move from a perspective of demographic and economic expansion in space to one of contraction and a subsequent creation of spatial scarcity. To conclude, the author questions whether the new policy position is viable, given the deep-rooted nature of regional cleavages within Norwegian society. However, the formal institutional ability to deal with the situation at the national level is in place, since national planning and regional policies have finally been gathered within the confines of one ministry.

EDITORS:

• Jemima Garcia-Godos, Catriona Turner

KEYWORDS:

• ‘eco-spatiality’
• Norway
• planning policy
• regional policy

Acknowledgements

The writing of the article was partly made possible by funding provided through the project ‘Norsk kontaktpunkt – ESPON’ by the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation. The author wishes to thank Hans-Henrik Bull, Jørn Cruickshank, Eva Falleth, and Rune Dahl Fitjar for valuable comments on an earlier draft version.

Notes

1 Paper titled ‘Sannhetens øyeblikk: Regional utvikling på prøve’, presented by V. Fleischer at the smart specialisation workshop (Smart Spesialisering: Regionalpolitisk verksted) held in Bodø, Norway, on 1 October 2015, and arranged jointly by Nordland County Council and The Research Council of Norway.

2 Paper titled ‘Smart Spesialisering på norsk’, presented by P. Chaffey at the seminar on smart specialisation (Dialogkonferanse Smart Spesialisering) held in Oslo on 12 January 2016, and arrranged by Østlandssamarbeidet (Eastern Norway County Network).